


Things We are Not to do....Again

by dncarver, hobbitchic21



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-05-26
Packaged: 2018-01-20 02:05:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 38,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1492696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dncarver/pseuds/dncarver, https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbitchic21/pseuds/hobbitchic21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a bunch of fun short little episode like chapters inspired by rules we make if we were in the TMNT universe.  There may be some inspiration from the movies(especially the CGI one) but most of it will come from the 2003 show. If you need to have seen an episode before a chapter we'll make note of it in the notes, that will only apply to that specific chapter only not any before or after. While we are putting them in chronological order they aren't being written in that order so a "new" chapter may not be the last chapter.</p><p>The rating may change, for now it's only because for language and slight violence</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Die is not to drive the Battleshell.

**Author's Note:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

“Uh…Die, now would be a good idea to you know…let me in on the plan…please tell me you have a plan,” Maralyn eyed the purple dragons approaching, surrounding her and her best friend. Her short, dirty blonde hair plastered to her head in the heavy rain. Fighting was not her thing, she wasn’t defenseless but these guys were either a lot bigger than either of them, armed, or both. She glanced quickly over to the blonde next to her. Dinah bit her lip slightly eyeing the larger than life man who seemed to be the leader. She seemed to be measuring the man up, his boots, his ripped shirt exposing the purple dragon tattoo on his left arm and red symbol marking on his right bicep, to his long blonde ponytail.

“Yeah, I have one,” Dinah said as she sighed and lifted her hand up to remove her sunglasses from her head with a sigh.

“Aw look…they’ll undress for us…that takes out half the fun,” one of the dragons sneered.

“Diiieee,” Maralyn looked in horror at her friend. She couldn’t seriously be thinking about doing…that for these punks. Dinah looked at her friend and smiled a toothy grin then turned that grin to the leader.

“Think fast Gorilla,” She yelled throwing the glasses at him, she then grabbed Maralyn’s hand and pulled her into a run pushing their way through the startled men, “RUN MARA! RUN!”

“Running?! That’s your plan,” Maralyn screamed at the black and gold Umbreon hoodie she was chasing down the barely lit road, “Running is not a plan! Running is what you do when the plan goes wrong!”

“Oh Shut up,” Dinah called over her shoulder, “I didn’t see you coming up with a better plan.”

“Don’t tell me to shut up,” they slid around a corner…and came to a dead end.

“Oh crap...”

“Dinah,” Maralyn glared at her friend as they turned around to discover the purple dragons had followed them and were blocking their exit. The large man lifted his hand showing the pair of black sunglasses with silver flames up the sides to the two girls before crushing them in his hand. The two backed up until their backs hit the wall when there was a sudden light behind the dragons. An armored truck had pulled up behind them and from it jumped four bulky men who began throwing the dragons around like rag dolls.

“Get ‘em dudes! Bust their faces in,” Dinah cheered for their saviors enthusiastically, “They broke my sunglasses give it to them good!”

“Your sunglasses really,” Maralyn gave her friend a disbelieving look, “You really need to get your priorities straightened out.”

* * *

 

Leonardo ducked beneath a punch from one of the purple dragons before kicking the same man in the stomach sending him flying into to the wall. He silently cursed to himself, he could see Hun off to the side doing something, what he wasn’t sure, but he knew it could not be good. Neither he nor one of his brothers could get to him either. They had been out on a junk run for Donatello in the battleshell when they had seen a large group of purple dragons chase two girls into an alley not far from their garage. Pulling up they had immediately jumped out of the vehicle and began to “teach the punks a lesson” as Raphael had put it. Listening in to the girls’ conversation he briefly wondered if these girls might not have been asking for trouble with the punks…the one did not seem to have any sense.

“I have my priorities straight,” Dinah defended watching the silhouettes fighting, “I just bought those damn things. COME ON! GET THE FAT ONE!”

“Girly,” Hun turned his angry gaze on the mouthy girl as her friend shrunk slightly with panicked eyes, “You’re going to regret saying that.”

“You had to attract his attention again,” Maralyn hissed to Dinah trying to tug her out of the line of fire when he started towards them. Dinah, of course, never had much sense of self-preservation.

“Yeah? You gonna kidnap me and take me to the top of the empire state building?”

Hun’s face contorted in rage as he picked up his pace, he would finish the turtles for the incompetent men being thrown past him but first he was going silence a mouthy little girl. However Hun was so set on getting the girls that didn’t notice the turtle behind him. Donatello spun his bow staff and knocked Hun’s feet out from under him sending the giant down to the ground, ignoring Michelangelo’s laughter as he joined his brother in engaging Hun into a fight.

“I like them,” Michelangelo informed his brothers. By this time Hun was back on his feet facing all four turtles as his purple dragons lay on the ground groaning. The four turtles were tossed around but landed their share of hits on Hun. Then Leonardo happened to glance up and see the foot ninja starting to pour down the sides of the alley.

“Um…guys,” Leo said drawing his katanas, “We have a problem.”

“Dudetts,” Michelangelo yelled at the girls hitting some of the foot with his nunchucks, “You should, like, get in the battleshell.”

“Is he talking to us,” Maralyn asked watching as the silhouettes seemed to draw weapons.

“What the hell is a battleshell,” Dinah asked perplexed, “Sounds kinky.”

“The car,” Donatello grunted as he took a kick to the side, “Get in the car.”

“What,” Maralyn asked, there was no way she was going to get into some stranger's car, “Are you out of…what the hell are you doing?!”

“I call shotgun,” Dinah said dragging Maralyn behind her as the turtles cleared a path for them. Once the headlights weren’t turning the fighters into black blobs Maralyn’s eyes widened at what she saw. Giant turtles were fighting ninjas. In the middle of New York City. She had clearly drank too much and this whole thing was an alcohol induced nightmare. By then they had reached the strange vehicle and Dinah pulled her through the passenger door climbing into the driver’s seat staring at the assortment of buttons with wide eyes and a Cheshire grin.

“Hey girlie,” Raphael growled as he and his brothers climbed into the back slamming the door shut, “Who the shell said you could drive?”

“She’s not driving,” Maralyn quickly cut in looking at the turtle then at her friend who didn’t seem to be listening, “Are you Die? You’re going to…AHHHH!”

Dinah had found the button she had looked for and the battleshell quickly peeled out. She laughed hysterically as foot ninja and purple dragons scattered to avoid being ran over. She then took it out of reverse and sped down the road. Maralyn’s scream barely registering and the yells and exclamations from the back of the vehicle never registering at all.

“DINAH,” The sharp tone managed to get through her haze of joy as she glanced at her best friend who gripped the sides of her seat tightly, “Pull over! Now! This is a horrible plan! Your plans are always horrible!”

“They are not,” Dinah defended herself eyes leaving the road momentarily, “You want horrible plans who’s idea was it to sneak out back of the club to avoid her ex’s crazy girlfriend?”

“Avoiding confrontation is not a horrible plan,” Maralyn snarled, and with that the two broke into an argument. The turtles trying desperately to get them to stop, not knowing this was what the two did best, or at least let someone who wasn’t arguing drive.

“Can’t you just,” Leonardo started before a sharp turn sent him crashing into the side of the battleshell and one of his brothers into him.

“And you guys say I can’t drive,” Michelangelo complained rubbing his head as he glanced out the window to see a car full of purple dragons and foot ninja closing in to them, “Uh…”

“…And do you know what I hate more than that,” Dinah snarled as she glared into the rear view mirror at the car fast approaching them, “People. That. Ride. My. Ass!”

With the last exclamation she slammed both of her feet onto the breaks sending everyone flying towards the front of the vehicle. The driver of the purple dragon’s car tried to swerve but still crashed into their rear end totaling their vehicle, just as Dinah lifted her foot from the break. She shook her head before starting back down the road with a smug look on her face but at a much slower pace.

“Crazy bitch,” Raphael mumbled glaring at the front of the battleshell, “Can’t drive worth shit.”

Hearing this Dinah gave the wheel a sharp turn causing the turtles to crash into the side of the shell again and Maralyn to scream for her to stop doing that. Dinah ignored her friend and turned to tell those in the back that she was a good driver. Seeing them for the first time her eyes widened, “Oh my God! You’re giant turtles!”

A sudden jerk caused everyone to fly towards the front of the battleshell once again. Donatello landing on his shell between the front seats. The girl in the passenger seat groaned and rubbed her head sitting back up while the one in the driver seat did the same glaring out the windshield at the tree she had run into. Rolling to his side he reached up and turned off the engine and pulled the key from the ignition. He glared at the girl who looked down at him.

“Well…I guess that explains such a weird name like ‘the battleshell’,” Dinah said smiling cheekily down at the giant turtle. Everyone was silent for a moment before Michelangelo’s voice broke it, asking if he could keep the humans they had found.


	2. Die Shall not Wander the Tunnels Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suggested Episodes- None
> 
> As the usual TMNT doesn't belong to us but Mara and Die do.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Dinah’s eyes widened as a large bulky shadow came into view. She slowly backed away until her back was against the pile of rocks. Dinah had spent the past week holed up in the lair sick as a dog. Even Master Splinter had joined the turtles and Mara in keeping her drugged and in bed. She could acknowledge she may have needed the cough syrup and other cold medicine that was forced upon her, and even the need for bed rest…for the first couple of days. Sneaking out of the lair may not have been the wisest choice she ever made but she was tiered of staring at the same four walls. And now she was in trouble.

It had been a simple plan, sneak out for a few hours, wander around the tunnels, and then get home before anyone even knew she was gone. Well she didn’t count on getting lost. She should have because she had no sense of direction but that had slipped her mind. She thought she knew how to get back but after nearly three hours she had to admit she was lost. The guys and Mara would be returning soon and she was going to be in trouble. She had just pulled out her phone when she heard a strange noise from above and down the tunnel a bit. She had thought she had stuck her phone in her pocket, when the roof of the tunnel had caved in, Dinah had barely avoided being buried and had scrapped up her arm, knee, and cheek. When she went to reach for her phone again it was no longer on her person. And now a bulky figure was just around the corner.

The only person Dinah could think of to be around the corner was Hun, he was the only one that big that she ran into frequently. The confrontations were rarely serious, mainly because Dinah was always with the turtles who were always successful in getting the girls out of trouble. But now she was alone and Dinah had no illusion that she wouldn't fail if she got into a physical confrontation with this man.

“My friend,” a concerned voice said as the being came into view, “What are you doing so far from home?”

* * *

 

“Dinah,” Mara called as she entered the lair, “We’ve got ice cream!”

“If you don’t get out here we’ll let Mikey eat it,” Leo called when no answer was received.

“I’ll get her,” Mikey yelled racing towards his room where she’d been asleep when they left to insure Master Splinter made it to April’s safely. She had a rather large artifact she wanted the rat to look at. They’d still been talking about it when the turtles and Mara had decided to return home. Mikey hopped into the room and looked around, then he checked his brothers' rooms before he stood by the railing looking slightly concerned, “Um…she’s not up here.”

* * *

 

Dinah let out a sigh of contentment as she spun in the spinning chair she had claimed. She smiled at Leatherhead when he glanced over at her as he poured over some gizmo thing he had been working on with Mara and Donnie. Dinah had convinced him that she just wanted a little break from the lair and that while he couldn’t let her keep wandering around alone there was nothing to stop her from being in his lair for a while.

“You know that’s wrong right,” Dinah said finally stopping her spinning to stare at a whiteboard with a messy math equation written on it. When Leatherhead sent her a confused look she hopped off her seat and bounced over to it pointing at different parts as she talked, “Right here you lost a negative, then you miss placed a decimal here. Plus you should be using an open interval not a closed one.”

* * *

 

“Oh god…oh god,” Mara stared at the pile of rocks blocking the tunnel then down at the phone in her hand. Donnie had tracked Die’s phone. They had found it but Die was nowhere in sight and Mara could feel her panic rising at the thought of her friend…buried…alive…unable to move.

“Leatherhead’s lair isn’t far from here,” Leo laid a hand on Mara’s shoulder hoping to calm her rising panic attack, “He may have heard Die and gotten her out. Or if not he can help us get her out. Let’s go.”

* * *

 

Dinah bounced on her toes as she erased numbers and worked out the equation. She tapped her fingers against her thumb of her right hand as she did arithmetic in her head before writing down the next number. She had fixed the errors on the white board and then Leatherhead and asked her to look at another. She hummed softly to the song blasting from her ear buds chewing on her lower lip when the numbers didn’t seem quite right. Her eyes ran over her neat columns of numbers. Finding her error she corrected her numbers again and continued with the next equation.

“Leatherhead,” Mikey exclaimed racing in with Mara and his brothers on his heels, “We need your help!”

“What is wrong my friends,” Leatherhead asked concerned turning from watching the mathematician work. He’d been watching the woman seem to do magic for the past hour, amazed as neat column after column of numbers appeared on the boards, correcting errors he and Donnie had over looked while Mara hadn’t even tried to see.

“Dinah is…” Mara blinked as she saw the blonde head in front of one of the boards Donnie and Leatherhead worked math equations on before transferring them to notebooks, “Right here. Why is Dinah here?”

“And what is she doing to our boards,” Donnie exclaimed horrified that his scientific friend would let the air headed, easily distracted, technologically challenged Dinah destroy their equations.

“Dinah was lost after a cave in down the tunnel, I was going to escort her home some time ago. But,” Leatherhead looked back at the blonde who was oblivious to the new arrivals in the lair behind her, “She is a fantastic mathematician. She solved our problem with our latest project Donatello.”

“What,” The turtles all blinked at Leatherhead. He couldn’t be talking about Dinah, they all lived with her and she seemed far more interested in reading and playing video games than something like math.

“If I knew the problem was in the math, I’d have recommended we get her earlier…She majored in math in college,” Mara said walking up to her friend. She yanked the headphones out of her friend’s ear ignoring her protest. Blue eyes glared at glaring blue eyes as Mara held Dinah’s phone out.

“Hey,” Dinah exclaimed smiling, “You found my phone!”


	3. Die Will not Ride with Raph

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

“Let’s go girly,” Raph’s gravelly voice barely registered in Die’s brain. She made a non-committal grunt as she continued scratching her pencil down her paper creating neat columns of numbers, “Girly!”  
“Raph!” Dinah screamed as he slammed his hand down on her paper to get her attention. She glared up at the turtle. She was working on checking some equations for Donatello and Leatherhead, ever since they had discovered she had a degree in mathematics they’d been leaving notebooks on her desk. Not that she minded, it was a nice way to unwind after a day full of turbulence and stress, but she tended to loose herself in the numbers and not really notice what was going on around her.  
“I said let’s go,” Raph repeated looking down at her.  
“What,” Dinah reached up to rub her forehead, “Go? Go where?”  
“We’re going riding,” Raph said pulling Die up and after him out the door.  
“Are you nuts,” Die stopped dead in her tracks forcing Raph to stop, “It’s the middle of winter! There’s snow on the ground! It’s cold.”  
“You’ve got a thick leather jacket come on. It’ll be fun,” Raph rolled his eyes. Die tried to resist but before she knew it she was on the bike cursing mutants everywhere, especially ones with enough strength to get her to do what she didn’t want.

* * *

 

“Okay, they’re out,” Mara turned to the three remaining turtles, Master Splinter, Casey and April, “Let’s get the party started.”

* * *

 

Raph groaned as he pushed himself up to watch two tail lights disappear down the road. Mara was going to kill him. He had one job, get Dinah out of the lair so Mara, his brothers, father, and their two other human friends could set up to throw her a surprise birthday party. Mikey had caught the tail end of a conversation between the two girls, well the tail end of an argument. After Die had stormed to his room where she spent most of her time Mikey cornered Mara, upon learning that Die was resistant to doing anything to celebrate her birthday he and Mara had worked together to come up with a plan to give her, “the best birthday of her life”, as Mikey had put it. His job had been to keep Dinah out of the lair for a couple hours while they all set up. After about an hour and a half he wasn’t sure if he could make it to the full time needed.  
Seeing some punk dragons in an alley Raph thought he had lucked out. There was only a handful of them and he knew Die would enjoy blowing off some steam, and then he could take her home before she decided to take a swing at him. Unfortunately luck ran out for Raph as quickly as it came. The dragons had back up not far away in the form of Hun and more than enough punks to keep Raph and his brothers on their toes if they had been with him. However it had only been him and Die, whose mouth was unstoppable but lacked serious skills in combat, and Raph had gotten his shell handed to him while he watched Die get dragged, kicking and screaming, into a car that disappeared.  
Raph pushed his bike up and hopped on. He had to get back to the lair and get the others before…Raph pushed the thought from his head with a snarl. They would get to Die and everything would be fine he told himself.

* * *

 

“Something’s wrong,” Mara paced across the lair chewing her lower lip, “They should have been back nearly an hour ago…”  
“I’m sure they’re fine,” Casey mumbled, “Lost track on the bike, that all.”  
“No,” Mara turned to glare at him, “It’s the middle of winter and Die hates the cold she…”  
“Guys,” Raph came crashing through the door panting, “We…We…”  
“Raph,” Mara exclaimed taking in his shaken appearance with growing alarm, “…where’s Die? WHERE’S DINAH!?”  
“Purple dragons,” Raph’s face was the picture of fear, guilt, and remorse, “I…we…they took her…”  
“Her phone, I can track her,” Donnie said racing to his computer, he pulled a cord out of nowhere and attached it to his shellcell and the computer. He hit a button on the phone and listened as it began to ring. The ringing quit for a moment, just long enough to here Die yelling at someone, before static took over. It was enough for Don though, “Got it.”  
“I’m going to,” Mara said stubbornly following the turtles towards the battleshell. Her best friend was in trouble, she was not going to sit back and wait.  
“No,” Leo’s voice was firm. He turned to meet the fiery blue eyes that promised him pain, but he continued on, “Die could be hurt, we need someone here that knows Don’s lab well enough that when we call we can have the first aid ready. And if you go our attention will be divided…we need to be focused on getting Dinah, and getting out.”  
“…I…You better call as soon as you’re all in the battleshell,” Mara said. She had to be reasonable for Die’s sake right now, even though she really wanted nothing more than to run to where the punks had her friend and crack some skulls.

* * *

 

“Hey,” Dinah exclaimed as Hun took her phone, “Give that back to me Circus Reject!”  
Hun chucked darkly as he crushed the phone in his hand, “I’ve been waiting a long time to teach you a lesson. And then when I leave you broken for the turtles to find,” with this he chuckled again.  
“Tell you what,” Die snarled up at the man, “I’ll learn a lesson from you if you learn a lesson in hygiene, you damn dirty ape.”  
Die didn’t have time to think as a meaty fist clubbed the side of her head she fell to the ground twisting slightly trying to pull her arms out of the rope behind her back.

* * *

 

Arriving at the deserted warehouse the turtles climbed to the roof, looking down through a sky light. They saw a large group of purple dragons around something, or someone, with more standing back cheering them on. Leo forced the anger down as he caught sight of a familiar blonde head streaked with crimson. Raph’s sia’s were drown instantaneously at the sight and Mikey looked ready to jump down with him but the two older turtles laid restraining hands on them. All eyes turned to Leo.  
“Raph, Mikey and I will take care of the dragons. Don, you need to get Die and get out. As soon as they’re out we all leave. No exceptions,” Leo looked each of his brothers in the eye while they nodded, “Let’s do this.”

* * *

 

Everything hurt. Die was sure that every nerve in her body was sending pain to her brain. She couldn’t decide where the most pain came from. Knowing she couldn’t give in to the darkness eating at the sides of her vision she focused on her breathing. She was crap at mediation but it did keep her mind focused on something other than the pain. She nearly missed the sound of glass breaking but she did notice when blows were no longer being rained down on her.  
Donnie quickly moved towards Dinah. A purple dragon punk tried to get between them but his Bo staff quickly shot out sending him flying towards a brother. Donnie felt his breath catch, Die was not moving, even slightly, as far as he could tell she wasn’t even breathing. He knelt down next to her and gently rolled her onto her back and released a breath as her eyes fluttered open and she cracked a slight smile through bloodied lips and a bruised cheek.  
“My knight in a hardened shell,” She croaked then flinched, “God, I hurt…”  
“Yeah,” Don gently scooped her into his arms and stood, “Let’s get you out of here.”  
Leo watched Don carrying Dinah disappear out of the building before yelling to his remaining brothers, “Let’s move!”  
“You can run,” Hun snarled, “But you can’t always come save them…I will see that bitch dead, Freaks.”  
“In and out,” Leo said sharply as both Raph and Mikey turned as if to go back and fight more. They both growled but turned and they all disappeared to the battleshell where Donnie was already on the phone with Mara, discussing Die’s injuries with her. Getting their first look at her Leo felt his younger brothers tense up beside him before he silently took the wheel.

* * *

 

Despite talking to Donnie on the phone Mara was not prepared when Die entered the lair leaning heavily on Raph. One eye was nearly swollen shut and her visible eye reflected pain. Her lips were compressed tightly and had some blood on them, and oh was there blood. Mara assumed Die had gotten a bloody nose judging by the blood on her face. Mara made note of a handful of cuts, but most injuries seemed to be bruises, though if Donnie was right she also had some cracked, if not completely broken, ribs, and a separated shoulder.  
“Let’s get you to the hospital,” Mara said moving towards her friend who shook her head.  
“No,” Die pushed slightly off Raph who grabbed her arm steadying her when she swayed slightly, “I’ll be fine. There’s nothing they can do that can’t be done here.”  
“Maybe you should,” Donnie started but Die quickly cut him off.  
“No, I’m not going and that’s final. They smell bad,” Die sniffed slightly shuffling towards the stairs, “And so do I. I’m taking a shower.”

* * *

 

“Would someone care to explain the child’s game taped to the kitchen door,” Die said staring at the tail-less donkey on the door before turning back to look at those behind her. They had all crowded her upon leaving the bathroom. Raph looked completely torn up with guilt and the others with worry.  
“It was a surprise,” Mikey said looking at the door sounding slightly defeated, “Because you didn’t want a birthday…I baked a cake too.”  
Die blinked at her friends before looking over her shoulder then back at her friends. She hurt, really she did, every inch ached, but she looked at her friends who looked even worse. She turned on her heal and walked into the kitchen where she grabbed a plate and cut into the cake.  
“Delicious,” Die said smiling at Mikey after taking a bite. He'd used one of her recipes, but she could taste missing ingredients, most of her recipes had missing spices from their cards that she just knew from memory. She turned her eyes on Mara, “So…I assume there’s a movie plan?"

* * *

 

“Ow,” Die said flinching slightly holding her side and whipping her eyes but continued laughing. She sat between Mikey and Raph on the floor, her back against Mara’s legs. Raph looked at her still looking guilty. After the credits began to roll Die looped her arms through the turtle arms on either side of her.

“You know all things considered…this is the best birthday ever,” Die looked over at Raph smiling slightly, “Really it’s true. I got to insult Hun…I may have insulted his mother too but I don’t really remember, I got great cake, a great movie, and best of all…I spent it with great friends.”  
“And not in the morgue,” Casey joked. Die laughed as multiple hands reached out and smacked him.


	4. Die is not to put any of the turtles in a compromising position

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

“Leo…”

Leonardo groaned at the voice hissing his name but simply rolled to his other side pulling his blanket over his head. He was not getting up for _ANYTHING_ after the late night they had had. Movie nights with Dinah and Michelangelo choosing the movies were either fantastic or horrible. He really wasn’t sure what the previous night would qualify as only that he had spent the majority of the night jumping at shadows. Master Splinter had decided they should all have the next day off and Leonardo was going to take advantage of it as soon as the persistent pest stopped poking him and hissing his name.

“Go away,” Leonardo mumbled into his pillow swatting the hand away, “Let me sleep.”

“I’ll let you sleep just scoot over a bit,” Dinah said pushing roughly at his shoulder. This sentence set off an alarm in Leonardo’s sleep muddled mind when she added, “I’m sleeping with you tonight.”

“….What,” he looked up at the blonde standing by his bed with her hands on her hips. Dinah and Maralyn had moved to the lair nearly a month ago. After their apartment got wrecked by purple dragon/foot for the fifth time it was decided it would be safer for all to have the two trouble magnets somewhere easier to access, “Why?”

“Mara punched me in the face, Donnie talks in his sleep, Mikey moves to much, Raph could be used as a fog horn, Master Splinter is up at the ass crack of dawn,” Dinah said ticking each member of their strange family off on her hand before pointing at him, “So that leaves you.”

* * *

 

“Die,” Maralyn stuck her head into the empty kitchen and bit her lip. She was beginning to get worried. She had looked all over the lair waking up three of the turtles, called her friend who didn’t pick up her phone, and she still could not find Dinah. She had a brief flash to the bruised and bloody mess her friend had been in upon being rescued from Hun and felt herself panicking.

“Mara,” Donatello spoke softly as he laid his hand upon the girl’s shoulder causing her to jump, “I’m sure she’s fine.”

“Yeah, there’s no way she would have gone far enough for Hun to get to her again,” Michelangelo piped up as Raphael reached over and slapped him in the back of the head.

“None the less,” Master Splinter’s voice caused the four to jump, “We should wake Leonardo and the four of you shall look for Dinah. Maralyn and I will wait here should she return.”

With that everyone tromped up the stairs. Maralyn reaching the door to Leonardo’s room first threw the door open starting to yell his name only to choke on it. Laying in his messed bed was Leonardo snoring slightly with Dinah’s head buried in his neck, cushioned on his shoulder. Her body curled around his side while his right arm laid along her back. The blanket was pulled part way off Leonardo exposing one of Dinah’s bare legs stretched across his plastron, though it covered the rest of Dinah up to one bare shoulder and her head.

“WHAT THE SHELL,” Raphael’s exclamation jolted Leonardo straight up in bed. Though Dinah just mumbled in her sleep and warped herself tighter in the blanket, hiding her exposed limbs and pushing her head under the pillow it just bounced from. Leonardo rubbed his eyes blinking at his brothers, sister, and father standing in his door.

“Leonardo,” Master Splinter’s voice was full of disproval as he glared at the two in bed, “What have you done my son?”

“Huh,” Leonardo blinked again, glanced down at the bundle next to him, and then looked back towards the wide eyed crowed in the door before his eyes widened and shot again to Dinah’s covered form, “NO! No this is not what it looks like!”

“Oh really,” Raphael sneered, “Because the fearless leader never makes mistakes…”

“She couldn’t sleep Raph,” Leonardo snapped at his younger brother.

“So what,” Maralyn glared hotly at Leonardo not believing he had done that…or that Dinah had for that matter but she would deal with the other culprit later, “You decided to take her to…”

“No,” Leonardo exclaimed waving his hands in front of him fanatically, “Nothing happened, we slept together but we didn’t sleep together!”

“Shut up already,” The exclamation caught everyone’s attention, “Some of us are trying to sleep. Take it outside idiots.”

“This is my room,” Leonardo glared at the blanket, “And if you…”

“I don’t care,” Dinah growl cutting Leonardo off as a hand shot out from the blanket and pushed the turtle off his own bed. The turtle reached out to steady himself but only grabbed the blanket which didn’t stop his decent. Instead it was yanked off the bed as he crashed to the floor. Dinah screeched as the cool air touched her. She sat up in her ratty, hanging off her shoulders sleeping t-shirt and loose pants with one leg rolled halfway up her thigh as she bared her teeth. She growled as she lunged at Leonardo, stealing the blanket from him and curling back up with it on the bed, “What is your problem!”

“Oh…yeah,” Donatello rubbed his neck, “Her ill-fitting pajamas…forgot about those…”

“Yeah and um…her cuddling thing…um,” Maralyn blushed as she shifted from one foot to the other looking apologetically at Leonardo, “Um…sorry about that…we’ll just uh…let you guys get back to sleep.”

“So…when will they have their own rooms exactly Don,” Leonardo heard Raphael asking as they were ushered out of his room. Letting his head fall to the floor Leonardo closed his eyes thinking that the two extra rooms being finished couldn’t happen soon enough.


	5. Mara Shall not Draw Raph in a Dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

“Diiiieeeee,” Mara’s voice floated through the lair deceptively sweet. She quickly tromped down the stairs spotting her blonde target on the couch next to the orange bandana wearing turtle. The decent would have been nearly graceful if she had not tripped over air on the last step and crashed to the ground. The objects in her hands flying across the room.

Dinah, leaned sideways towards Mikey, eyes glued to the screen in front of her. She shot her foot out and slammed it on top of the sketch book that skidded across the floor towards the game console she and her turtle friend were playing. They each had identical expressions of concentration as they leaned this way and that with their tongues stuck out of the corner of their mouth. Donnie glanced over at Mara briefly to make sure she was okay, knowing she would be with how often she fell, before returning his bored gaze to the screen. He’d tried explaining that their leaning and moving around on the couch did nothing to help them play but they had ignored him. And since he had been waiting for the better part of an hour to play winner he knew his words fell on deaf ears.

“Thanks for catching that, Die,” Mara said sweetly as she stood up brushing off her clothes.

“No,” Dinah said flatly never removing her eyes from the screen as she leaned forward, Mikey leaned against her shoulder jerking his controller in the opposite direction.

“What,” Maralyn asked picking up her other supplies.

“Whatever it is that you want me to do the answer is no,” Die answered calmly before slamming the buttons on her controller violently and exclaiming loudly, “Move you little bastard! Move!”

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask!”

“Don’t need to. It would involve me abandoning my game,” Dinah said calmly glaring at the screen pushing her shoulder against Mikey as he pushed against her, trying to throw the other off their game. Die sighed after a moment, paused the game causing Mikey to protest, and glanced up at the irritated Mara taping her foot impatiently. After watching Mara pick up her sketch book she spoke sugar sweet, “What? Mara, dear, what do you want me to do?”

“…I need hands,” Mara admitted calmly as the two turtles blinked at her confusedly. Her friend just blinked at her.

“No,” Dinah said turning back to the screen, “Ready to keep playing Mikey?”

“Oh come on,” Mara exclaimed standing between the couch and television, “Just a couple pages? Please?”

“What,” Mikey blinked rubbing his head. He glanced at Donnie who seemed just as lost as his younger brother. Mara and Die sighed though the later was more irritated than the former.

“The art class I’m taking? I need to do a couple pages of hand studies,” Mara explained looking at Mikey to make sure he understood what she was saying.

“Still think it’s a stupid idea,” Dinah mumbled with her arms crossed glaring at the person hindering her game time, “It’s not like you need the class. You have a degree and galleries fighting to sell your art.”

“I’m not doing it because I need the class,” Mara snapped, tiered of this argument, “I’m doing it to work with the man teaching. It would be like you working with Stephen King or something.”

“Never happen,” Die said giving her friend a dead pan look, “He’s crap at endings. Alien spiders aren’t my thing.”

“You’re impossible! Just model for me please?”

“Could I?” The two girls looked over at the unexpected voice. Mikey shifted slightly in his seat but charged on none the less, “Be your hand model I mean. It could be kinda fun.”

Mara blinked at the orange banded turtle for a moment. She could claim artistic license for the odd shape and color. When Dinah exclaimed about their game Mara smiled maliciously at her friend who slumped in defeat knowing when she was beat, “That would be fantastic Mikey. Die and Don can play until we’re done.”

* * *

 

Maralyn was enjoying having Mikey as a model. He shifted in his seat a lot and asked questions, his mouth never seemed to stop moving, but unlike Dinah when Mara placed his hands into position they remained steady and never moved no matter how much the rest of his body did. However as peaceful as it was in the lair it was not to last. A storm came through to wreak havoc. That storm’s name was Raphael.

“Whacha doin’,” Raph asked casually leaning against the wall. In the living room Die and Donnie were playing each other on some game, he heard Die seemingly mock Donnie for shifting his weight as he played the game, and Mara and Mikey were not far away engaged in…something. Seeing his older brother with the younger human and his younger brother with the older human was odd enough to make him pause on his way to the weight room.

“I’m a model,” Mikey exclaimed smiling brilliantly at his older brother.

“A model,” Raph raised an eyebrow slightly not sure if he heard right or not. Mara nodded but stayed focused on Mikey’s hands holding Donnie’s bo staff.

“Yeah,” Mikey practically bounced in his seat, “I’m…”

“What,” Raph asked interrupting and smirking slightly, “You’re going to be in a dress next?”

“No,” Mikey frowned his excitement dissipating slightly sensing the teasing coming, “I’m…”

“Goin’ to be drawn like one of her French girls,” Raph laughed shaking his head and walking out of the room. Mikey looked slightly crest fallen as he stared at his hands.

“Are we done,” Mikey’s voice was low, barely audible.

“…yeah,” Mara closed her book and patted his hand, “Thank you Mikey, you were great.”

Mikey nodded softly before standing and handing Donnie his bo staff back and leaving the room. Dinah tossed her controller onto the couch speaking something about forfeiting the match to Donnie before following after Mikey.

* * *

 

That evening in the lair Raph continued taunting his younger brother about being drawn “Like one of Mara’s French girls.” Not even Leo’s taunts or scolding could get him riled enough to leave the youngest turtle alone. Raph essentially ignored both of his older brothers the whole time. Mikey eventually excused himself and went up to his room while three pairs of eyes bore into Raphael. Who just shrugged and ignored them. Dinah stood up and walked out of the room as well. Smacking Raph with a back hand as she went by causing him to exclaim. She glanced over Mara’s shoulder as she walked by, looking the sketch she was furiously working on, adding color here and there as well as adding more details. She did not notice anything until she finished and realized everyone else had already gone to bed.

* * *

 

“Oh my god,” Mara exclaimed throwing things around her room, “Where is it!?”

“Where is what,” Donnie asked catching a stray book that flew at his head.

“My sketch book,” Mara pushed past her turtle friend and raced down the stairs to start tearing apart the living room as well, “I can’t find it anywhere!”

“Relax,” Dinah said as she casually walked into the lair. In her right hand she held up the book in question, and in her left arm she held a stack of papers, “It’s right here.”

Mara snatched the book out of Dinah’s hands, holding it tightly against her chest. She turned an accusing glare on her friend who smirked at her, “What did you do?”

Dinah answered with a wide toothy grin before turning to Donnie and asking for some double sided tape. Mara cautiously opened her sketch book to discover a loose paper. She pulled it out and stared at the photocopy of one of her sketchbook pages with blocky sharpie writing in one corner. It was the pencil picture she had done last night of Raph to cheer up Mikey. It showed Raph standing in a cover girl pose, his red bandana replaced by a pink one to match the dress he wore. In the corner, in Dinah’s handwriting, 'Raphie doth protest too much'.


	6. Make Mara Cry... and you better have insurance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

Mara descended the ladder into the lair. She was dressed in her favorite dressy shirt and nice jeans. In her right hand she carried a pair of olive green heels that she attempted to wear only on her dancing nights. She had gone out dancing with a few girls from the art gallery. Dinah had stayed home, she was not comfortable in club scene and Mara understood that. Maralyn looked around warily before entering the living room. She was hoping to sneak past the pile of bodies watching the gore fest that Dinah had to have chosen. She just wanted to get to her room, it had been a rough night and she didn't need the others making a huge deal about it.

“Maralyn,” She winced at her name. Stopping mid way up the stairs to her room, “Why do you not say hello to us.”

Splinter's voice was light but concerned. He spoke without turning around in his easy chair near the tv. Mara silently cursed the rat's incredible hearing.

“Yeah I promise we won't bite...well maybe Raph will,” Mikey joked dodging a smack to the back of the head lobbed by the read banded turtle next to him.

“I'm just kinda tired,” Maralyn choked slightly, “I just want to go lay down.”

She tried to keep the emotion welling up in her throat to a minimum. She didn't dare look in their direction.

“Liar! Now get in here and tell us whats wrong,” Die shouted pausing the movie. Mara swallowed knowing she was caught. She had never been good at lying and if anyone could tell it was Die. That woman could read her like a large print book. She sighed and turned around in defeat as she came to stand in the light of the television screen. Mara looked out past her swollen eye and bruised cheek at the twelve pairs of eyes staring expectantly.

“WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO YOU!” Die shouted instantly on the offensive. The others seemed to be having the same kind of reactions. Raph stood up growling fists clenched.

“Tell me what scum bag did this and I'll make sure he ain't gonna walk again,” This was exactly what she didn't want. It was already taken care of and she didn't want to get anyone, particularly Dinah, in trouble.

“It's okay,” Mara spoke trying to calm the raging force that was her friends though it did nothing to ebb the hard expecting glares of her friends, “It looks a lot worse than it is.” 

“Well it certainly doesn't look good,” Donnie stated already walking towards his lab for the first aid kit.

“Cut the bullshit Mara,” Die snapped arms crossed over her chest in the stance that only meant she was not giving up so easily. There was no winning this one.

“Ok,” Mara continued shakily, “I was at the club with Mandy, from the gallery, she and I were having a good time, dancing having a few drinks. When all of the sudden this dick comes up and starts to get a little touchy feely,” She could feel herself get angry as the words left her mouth. A lump formed in her throat, “I told him to leave us alone or I would get the bouncers. He told me I should shut my whore mouth and that he was just having a bit of fun. Then...” Mara paused not sure how bad Die would react to it, “He hit me.”

Mara felt hot tears start to stream down her cheeks.

“That low life sack of shit! I'm going to break his fucking neck! Send him back to the depths of Hell where he belongs!” Dinah launched herself up off the couch and began to pace back and forth animatedly waving her hands in her own sign language of anger.

“Get in line girly,” Raph hissed grabbing at his sais twirling them menacingly.

“Yeah we could certainly pay this guy a visit... you know to 'check' on him,” Mikey suggested pulling his numb-chucks from his belt.

“You know we can't do that,” Leo's voice of reason broke through the shouting. Mara sighed perhaps he would be able to stop Die and Raph from murdering the douche, “What happened after he hit you?”

Leo's stern eyes looked at Maralyn with concern.

“Well the bouncers intervened. They threw him out and asked if I wanted cops called. I said no..”

“YOU SAID NO!!! THAT MOTHERFUCKER IS JUST OUT THERE!” Die Yelled at her. Mara continued her story once Leo's glare silenced the blonde.

“That's when I dropped Mandy off and came back here,” She breathed in as Donnie who had just returned applied a salve to the broken flesh, “Look I know you're upset Die but I don't know what you want me to do.”

“I want you to grow a fucking brain,” Die mumbled angrily, wishing she had gone just so she could have ripped the balls off the guy and force fed them to him.

“That is enough Dinah,” Splinter's stern voice cut off her mumbling, “There is nothing we can do tonight. I suggest that Maralyn go with Donatello. The rest of us will retire. We all have early mornings.”

He looked over the group with a look that did not allow for argument. Turtles and Humans shuffled out of the living room in awkward silence. Raph and Die both shared knowing looks. Thirty minutes later there was a knock on Mara's door.

“Come in,” She said while holding a cold pack to her tender face. Donnie poked his green head in. 

“Just thought I would check up on you. See how that swelling was doing,” He carried various salves for the bruising. Mara smiled some what painfully.

“Thanks Don,” She let him look her over knowing that the injury was nothing more than a split cheek and black eye. It must have looked relatively minor to the turtles who constantly came home with broken bones and torn flesh. She mused out loud, “Its awfully quiet out there I'm glad the others just went to bed.” 

“Oh well I know Leo and Master Splinter are meditating but I know Raph Mikey and Die slipped out,” Donnie's eyes grew large with the realization of what he just said. It hadn't registered fully in his brain when he had seen the three sneaking out, too concerned with what he could do to ease Mara's pain. 

“Oh God you don't think...” Mara groaned. Just as the words left her mouth her phone began to ring with a familiar nerdy ringtone. Grabbing her phone she opened the message. It was a picture of Mikey and Raph grinning excessively. They were each holding the leg of a what appeared to be a person over the edge of a very tall building. The man was beaten and bloodied his shirt torn and the words 'I will not hit women.' was scrawled sloppily across his forehead in sharpie. Mara laughed out loud and Donnie rolled his eyes.

“Now this has Die written all over it.”

 


	7. Mara Shall not Have Water Solvent Pets in the Lair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- Season 4, Episode 2: The People's Choice  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

Maralyn looked into the large terrarium at the two black slug like creature. Donnie called them _furvus lutum limax_ , Die and Mikey both called them creepy and ugly, Mara though called them Pippin and Merry. After helping some alien defeat a political rival, Donnie had found a small amount of the sludge slug they had fought. When the substance began to move around he had realized it was a smaller one of the creatures. Upon returning home Donnie had presented it to Mara as a new pet. Dinah had offered an old terrarium she had stored in their apartment from a lizard after she had accidently cut it in half creating two creatures.

Over the course of months they had discovered many things about them. First of all, while carnivorous, they would eat just about anything. Die, deciding that the terrarium was too plain with the two slugs and occasional meat decorating it, had gone to a local pet shop and brought home a fish tank decoration shaped like a typical run of the mill UFO. With Donnie’s help she had set it up to open and close with air rather than water before placing it in to the tank. Unfortunately the next morning it was no longer an unidentified flying object…it was simply unidentified.

Nor did salt cause them pain as it would a normal slug. The terrarium had acquired a permanent spot on a side table in the living room.  They had all been watching a movie together, Alien vs Predator, Mara’s choice, and Dinah had finally quit complaining about the movie, simply because she had fallen asleep. Leonardo was loving the movie as was Donatello, though he was taking it apart more so than Leonardo. Raphael was cheering for…well he really couldn’t seem to decide who he wanted to win, constantly cheering for whoever happened to be spilling the most blood at the time. And Mikey was bored out of his mind. He watched his human friend breathing steadily with her mouth slightly open on the other side of the side table holding Mara’s pets. He glanced down at the bag of potato chips, with extra salt for the two junk food junkies, then back at his friend. He slowly reached into the bag, pulling out a chip and tossed it at Die. The chip bounced off her cheek causing her to mumble a bit and squish herself further into the couch. Repeating the process Die eventually swung her hand slightly and rolled over burying her face into the back of the couch, kicking Raphael in the process. When her leg got smacked slightly Die sat up wide awake, Raph glared at her before turning his attention back to the screen. Eyeing the snacks around her Die looked over at Mikey, trying to stifle his laughter. She smiled and shifted her stance slightly scooping up a handful of chips and chucking them at the orange clad turtle. The chip fight that issued caused many complaints as it expanded from two to six in no time. Laughing they had all settled down in time for the credits to start rolling.

“Oh shell,” Die said with wide eyes staring into the terrarium which was littered with salted chips. Mara’s cry was barely registered as everyone watched in horror as the slugs doubled in size after devouring the chips.

Mara glanced up from her memories hearing Die scream. It wasn’t her scream of horror but her indignant scream which meant that Mikey had managed to pull some prank on her. The two came barreling through the front of the lair, Mikey was laughing and dodging whatever Die was throwing at him while returning fire. The strange objects seemed to explode upon impact.  Despite training with Master Splinter her reflexes weren’t quite fast enough and one of the objects hit her shoulder.

“Hey,” Mara exclaimed at the two continuing their war. She examined her shoulder and what was left of the object, “A water balloon…oh no.”

Glancing up Mara watched in horror as a balloon flew over her head and landed on top of the terrarium and exploded, water splashed down into the terrarium through the mesh roof. Mara screamed as her pets began to dissolve before her eyes. The three other turtles and Master Splinter came rushing into the living area to see what was wrong. They were greeted by one human hunched over her pets’ cage sobbing while another and a turtle looked guilty hiding water balloons behind their backs. Donnie moved to comfort Mara as Master Splinter turned his sharp gaze on the guilty party.

“Dinah, Michelangelo,” His sharp tone caused the two to flinch, “What have I said about water balloons in the lair?”

“To not to,” They said in unison looking down at their feet.

“I’m really really sorry Mara,” Mikey said looking over at her, she met his tear filled eyes and nodded while she sniffed, “Really we didn’t mean to.”

“Really though, you can’t put all the blame on us. I mean who seriously keeps a water solvent pet in a sewer,” Die said. Everyone blinked at her for a moment as Mara stared wide eyed at her friend, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Die smiled slightly realizing she might have stepped to far, “Too soon?”

“I’ll kill you,” Mara screamed lunging at the blonde who turned heel and ran. Soon there were four turtles and two humans running around Master Splinter who could only sigh and shake his head walking towards his room.


	8. Mara Will Not Ride With Raph When Mad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

“Mother fuckers destroyed everything!” Mara shouted throwing her phone on the bed. Flopping down beside it she let out a frustrated yell. She had just gotten off the phone with her gallery owner. The previous night someone had broken into the gallery and had spray painted purple dragons on every one of her pieces. The other works, done by various artists, they had gathered and torched in the center of the gallery floor. The police 'had no real leads' but she knew she could give all the credit to Hun and his goons. It was obvious Hun had a personal vendetta against her and her friend, Die, ever since they had meet in the back alley and Die had called him King Kong. Months of work... gone. She was upset about her paintings but it was really the loss of the other works that angered her more. She knew her friend, Mandy, would be devastated. Mandy relied solely on the income of her paintings to pay her bills, with all of them gone Mara didn't want to think what the repercussions were going to be.

“Whats tha matter with you?” Raph's gravely voice broke through her thoughts. He stood leaning in the door way of her room. Maralyn ran her hands across her face and felt angry tears. God she hated crying, especially in front of people, but she couldn't help it. She was just so mad! Raph would probably mock her in his usual way. He would probably say that it was just some 'frue frue art stuff.' He wouldn't understand that this was a loss to her.

“Hun's goons torched my work and the gallery and... and I'm just so,” She grabbed the air in frustrated anger. Mara wanted to scream kick and generally act like... well she wanted to act like Raph. Raph looked at Mara with a quizzical expression listening. She breathed in trying to push away the anger welling up in her chest.

Raph had never seen Mara so mad. She was normally quite calm and friendly to everyone. It was certainly a strange sight to him to watch the girl in front of him quake with anger and not know what to do with it.

“I don't know how ya handle this sorta thing,” Raph looked her up and down with a smirk, “But I usually take a ride.”

His tone was somewhat skeptical fully expecting her to reject the idea. Mara was safety conscious. Unlike Die who would rush head long into a fight with no plan or stand dangerously close to an edge, Mara was always thinking and planning. Everything she did was planned out she certainly wasn't a risk taker. Raph felt a grin stretch across his face as she practically demanded, “Take me out riding!” 

* * *

 

Mara laughed hysterically as Raph speed along the dark streets. She just wanted speed. The adrenaline from the high speed bike ride ebbed at her anger slowly. While she couldn't escape the fact that her connections had cost her friends she certainly could enjoy the feeling of her stomach dropping and the weightless ness of high speeds. She suddenly understood why Raph was so eager to leave the lair after a fight with Leo.

As they turned another corner they were forced to slow down and stop next to a large truck. The occupants were blasting their stereo which blared an obnoxious song about how much money and women they had. The car rocked back and forth on shaky hydrochlorics and springs. The rusting paint practically fell away as the car jittered and shook.

“Check out those bozos,” Raph growled from behind his helmet, “That piece of junk probably can't go over 30.”

Mara smiled wickedly hearing the intent in his voice. He looked ahead and revved the bike's engine. She tightened her grip on Raph's shell bracing herself. Just as the light turned green she held her index finger and thumb a small space apart and screamed as loud as she could, “YOU MUST HAVE A TIIIINNNYYY PENIS!!!”

Raph threw the throttle and the bike rushed forward. She felt Raphael's Chest quake with laughter. It felt good to make him laugh and to insult the jerks behind them. Her good mood was shattered though as something crashed into the back of them throwing the bike into a forward dive and ejecting it's two passengers.

* * *

 

Raph groaned as he tested his limbs. Nothing seemed to be broken. When the bike had flipped he had been thrown to the side landing most of his weight on his shell.

“Thank God I'm a turtle,” He muttered. His eyes flew open and he scrambled to his feet in panic. His eyes settled on the scene before him. His bike was on its side the gas tank scratched and dented. The car that Mara had taunted was parked sidewas in the street. They had rammed them, but where was Mara?

“MARA! MARA!” He yelled scanning the scene of the accident for the young human. Leo was going to kill him...and that was after Dinah had gotten a hold of him. He shuttered and raced down the street to the bike. There he found Mara's shredded riding jacket. Panic took hold it was so stupid of him to even suggest this. A yell of frustration escaped his throat. Then his eyes fixated on a body lying a few feet from the jacked up car they had speed in front of. Sickening fear planted itself in Raphael's stomach and he scrambled to its side, “No no no come on Mara.”

Gingerly he turned the unconscious body over only to realized it was a purple dragon thug. Dropping the criminal he scanned the scene again looking for his friend. It was then that he heard the screaming.

“I do _NOT_ appreciate being messed with! Do not touch me or my friends!” Raph jumped to his feet and ran to the other side of the car. His mouth nearly dropped to ground at the sight before him. Mara, a usually calm and level headed girl was sitting on top of a purple dragon recruit. She was using her helmet like a bludgeon continuously slamming the head gear into the already unconscious man.

“I...work...hard...at...my...art...I...don't...like...you...destroying...it,” Her words were in time with her blows. Raph was pulled from his stupor by the sounds of sirens.

“Hey! Hey Tiger we gotta go!” He practically pulled Mara off the dragon and picked up his bike.

* * *

 

After returning to the lab Donnie assessed that they were both going to be sore and have some road rash but that they weren't hurt too seriously. He clearly disapproved of what had happened but Mara felt much better after their ride. Moments after settling on the couch with Raph, both of them holding ice to their limbs, Dinah stormed in. Mara braced herself for the flurry of curses and the 'you could have been killed' speech. Instead Die landed a stinging smack to the back of both their heads. She flopped down between the two amongst protests and grabbed the remote. She thought for a moment then smacked Raph again.

“What the shell was that for!” he protested rubbing his head again.

“You both are dumb-asses but I blame you,” Die growled decidedly flipping through the channels. Mara choked out a small laugh and Die landed another hit to her head.


	9. Die Shall Not "Fix" Raph's Bike

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

Dinah stared at Raph’s red bike for a moment. Thinking quietly. Was this a good idea? Probably not. Would Raph be angry? When wasn’t he. Would he seek revenge? In the most painful way possible she was sure. Would it be worth it? Dinah couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face as she whispered, “Totally.”

Dinah had spent the last month buying her time. And liquid chalk markers that would be safe to use on the bike without damaging the paint. Die had lost count of how many she had bought, putting more and more in two large bucket containers until she had enough to cover the bike. And once she did she had to wait…and wait…and then wait some more. Biding her time until she could sneak into the garage unnoticed and do her dirty work on the bike.

She suppose she could have let someone in on her plan and gotten help but…this was _HER_ idea. And her plan. And to be honest she didn’t want to share it with anyone. She hadn’t even told Mikey, her favorite pranking partner, about it. Dipping her paintbrush, borrowed without Mara’s knowledge, into the thick pink paint like substance before slowly dragging it across the red bike. Raphael really should have known better. Honestly, who did he think he was dealing with? It had started about a month ago when Raph and Mara had wrecked is bike. After fixing the cracked gas tank Raph had begun to complain about the scratches on it. Die had gotten grounded to the lair after she’d gotten lost in the tunnels around the lair again, Casey and April were on a vacation everyone was reluctant to disturbed, Mara had no idea what type of paint to get even with careful explanations, and no one else could go into a store to buy the paint needed. Dinah had thanked her lucky stars for online art supply stores when her idea had formed with no way for her to get to the store and hoped that no one else would think to order Raph’s paint online. After about a week and a half Die told Raph she would paint his bike if it would shut him up. He’d looked happy until she said she would paint it pink.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Raph’s growled warning echoed in Die’s head as she kept paining his bike with a large grin on her face. Sitting back on her heels she looked at the freshly painted hot pink bike. Pulling out a white liquid chalk marker and a stencil she carefully printed the words “French Girl” on both sides of the tank. Nodding to herself Die walked back into the lair whistling tunelessly to wash her hands and Mara’s paintbrush while she waited for the turtles and Mara to finish meditating with Master Splinter. She had just sat down and flipped on the TV when Mikey, Donnie, Raph, and Mara walked out of the Dojo. Donnie and Mara went to Don’s lab to finish some project, Mikey flopped down next to Die taking the remote from her, and Raph walked towards the garage and Die began to count down from three in her head.

“DINAH,” Raph’s voice shook the lair as Die grinned toothily, “WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BIKE?!”

“Well I painted it Raphie boy,” Die said innocently looking over her shoulder at the raging turtle in the doorway, “Just like you wanted it.”

“I’M GONNA KILL YOU,” Raph yelled as he chased a laughing Die through the lair, giving everyone else a chance to look in and take pictures of his bike.


	10. Mara and Donnie will not use Die to test experiments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

Dinah sat at the table in Donnie's lab arms crossed in front of her defiantly.

“There is no fucking way I'm letting you shoot me with that,” She glared at Mara who held a clipboard and a vial of clear blue liquid. Mara set the liquid down in front of Die sighing.

“Please Die. I don't know how else to test Donnie's tranquilizing serum if you won't let me test it on you,” She had been going round and round with Die for almost an hour now, “I promise it won't hurt, you won't even feel a thing you'll just get really sleepy.”

She shook the tranq gun hopefully in Die's direction. She and Donnie had been working for months on a fast acting tranquilizing serum that could take down a human in seconds with no side affects. It could theoretically save Mara and Die's life. Neither one of them were very skilled at combat so a nonlethal noncombat solution might come in handy.

“You can shove that thing up your ass for all I care,” Die huffed angrily, “I don't see why we don't test it on someone else... like maybe you!”

Mara let out an exasperated sigh rubbing her tired eyes,“I told you, I can't test it because it has extract of bee venom. I'm allergic. We can't test it on the turtles because it would not be accurate enough this is meant for the foot or purple dragons not mutant turtles.”

“Fine then test it on them,” Dinah protested. She didn't understand why Mara was pushing this so much. Mara should have known she wasn't about to win. Not only would Mara have to inject the serum meaning...needles... but then Die would probably feel drugged out. This was something that Dinah avoided at all cost. She didn't even take nighquil when she had a cold! There was no way on this earth that Mara was going to test her and Don's voodoo chemistry junk on her.

“There is no way I can safely test it on another human being without going into combat,” Mara was incredibly frustrated with her friend, “I told you, there is no one else.”

Dinah tightened her resolve and shifted in her chair as if to say _Not even if hell froze over_.

“Is there anything we could bribe you with?” Don's quiet voice popped up from behind Mara. He was busy pippeting liquid into a small sample tray. Mara looked at Donnie with a skeptical look.

“Yeah Donnie... you can't bribe Die.”

“Ice cream,” Die spouted

“Excuse me?”

“Ice cream,” She looked up at Mara with a smug look, “If I let you shoot me up with that crap, I want you to make me Ice cream. I don't mean just one batch. I want enough Ice cream to last a month.”

She sat tall, arms still tight over her chest firm in her offer. Mara looked sternly at her friend chewing on her bottom lip in thought. Finally after a moment she nodded.

“Deal you get Ice – cream and I get to test our serum.”

“What'a we testin'?” Raph poked his head into the lab. Biting into an apple he stood in the open door lab. Raphael often enjoyed watching Mara and Don's experiments particularly when he wasn't a test subject.

“Don and I are testing our quick acting serum on Die here. If all goes as planned she should be under in a matter of seconds!” Mara sounded a little too excited to be putting her friend to sleep.

“A chance to see Dinah with her mouth closed? Oh I gotta see this,” He tossed the core of his apple in the trash and came to stand behind Mara.

“Bite me Bowser wannabe,” Die growled glaring at Raph.

“Careful what ya wish for sweetheart you might like it,” Raphael smirked winking at Die who just rolled her eyes.

“If you let that neanderthal draw on my face while I'm out I will never forgive you,” She mumbled.

“Don't worry,” Mara groaned, “Raphael will behave himself won't he Raph.”

“I ain't makin' any promises,” Raphael grinned mischievously.

Mara worked quickly lifting Dinah's shirt sleeve and swirled and alcohol soaked pad on her upper arm. Mara turned to Raph.

“Hey Raph, will you grab me the red vial on the counter over there?” Raphael looked over at the counter with vials and paper and liquids as far as the eye could see. He spotted a redish looking one on the edge and snatched it up handing it to Mara.

“Is that the one ya need?” He asked.

“Yep its the only red one,” Mara mumbled through a mouth full of papers. She loaded the tranquilizing gun without looking at the vial. She pressed the tip of the gun up to Die's arm. Pulling the trigger Dinah let out a yelp followed by a stream of cursing.

“WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!” She shouted outraged, “You said it wouldn't hurt... that fucking hurt!”

Mara rolled her eyes exasperated as she pulled the gun away and ejected the vial.

“Oh it did not you're such a baby....” she trailed off as she looked at the vial in her hand. Mara's eyes were big as saucers as she turned to Raphael and asked shakily, “Which vial did you give me?”

Raphael was taken aback by the look of panic in Maralyn's eyes.

“I don' know! It was tha red one right here!” He pointed to where he had picked up the vial.

“You gave me the pink one!!” Mara's voice was tight with panic, “Oh this is bad very very bad.”

“WHY? Whats in the pink one!” Dinah began to rise in panic, “I'm going to die aren't I. I'm going to turn into some freaky mutant. You're going to have to lock me away so I don't hurt anyone. I told you this was a bad idea a very very bad one. You NEVER have any good ideas...I can't believe I did this for ice cream!!” Dinah stopped her panicked screaming as she looked up to the laughing faces of Mara, Donnie and Raph, “I fail to see what's so fucking funny! I'm going to die!”

Mara let out a cackling laugh as she held her stomach. Donnie wiped tears from his eyes and tried to catch his breath. Raphael gave Dinah a toothy grin.

“Next time Dinah Girl you betta think twice before painting a guy's bike pink.”

“Or using my paintbrushes to do it,” Mara chided in.

Dinah clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes.

“So I'm not going to die?”

“Of course not, it was just a saline solution,” Mara finished putting the tranquilizer away, “You don't think I would actually test a tranq gun on you do you?”

“I don't know you're the crazy scientist!!” Dinah pointed an accusing finger at Mara before turning to Donnie, “And you! Eh tu Don?”

Donatello shrugged grinning. Die stood up and headed out the lab yelling back, “I better get my damn Ice-cream bitch!”

 


	11. Mara and Die will talk about their fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Needed Episodes - Darkness Within Season 3 Episode 14 
> 
> TMNT Doesn't belong to us
> 
> Mara and Die do.

Two humans sat on the couch in front of a television. Neither attempted to really watch the show, too caught up in thought to care. Hearts were heavy that evening in the lair, the two friends usually so close barely spoke as they sat on opposite sides of the couch. The turtles had left for the evening, to complete their rounds. Patrol of the city was usually a fun event for the two normal girls, but tonight no one had even bothered asking. Two weeks had gone by since the odd family had encountered a horrendous creature deep beneath the ground and though they had won, the two women were worse for wear.

They had all descended to the depths of the underground chamber, on the request of Angel to find her brother. They had all been swallowed in the dark embrace of a creature that preyed on fear. They had all experienced their worst fears,alone,in the dark. Though these things had been nothing more than whispers of tortured minds they had still hit incredibly close to home. Since their return the girls were not themselves. Mara had avoided her gallery calling in sick for almost a week, she didn't bother showing up for training. They were lucky if she even left her room. Dinah had stopped joking, completely, she seemed to distance herself from everyone even Mara. She to had stopped training, and in the past weeks she had not even bothered to pretend to fight with Leo. The boys had been concerned but there was little any of them could do. They had all tried to pull their friends from their stupor to no avail. Now in the dark of night an old rat shuffled into the living room. Wise eyes took in the pitiful scene before him. Sighing deeply he walked up and turned off the flickering television, an action that two weeks prior would have been meet with indigent yells and protest now was meet with half hearted looks of question.

"Maralyn, Dinah, your introduction to our family was quick and harsh. Even so you have become like daughters to me and sisters to my sons. I am sure you know we care very much for you. There is no doubt that my sons and I would put ourselves in harms way to help you fight any enemy," The wise rodent sat cross legged before the two humans eyes looking over them. He motioned for them to sit near him, both girls complied, "But now I fear you face a greater enemy that my sons can not help you with... you face your own fear."

Mara and Die looked at Master Splinter somewhat sadly. They should have known that there was no hiding something like this from him. Mara spoke first.

"We all saw things in those tunnels...awful things, I can't get them out of my head," Her gaze looked far beyond their quiet home to the horrifying things that she had seen that night. Images flashed in her mind that she couldn't rid herself of. It only hurt more to realize that Dinah was also tortured by the same thoughts. Tears welled hot in her eyes, she sniffed trying not to let them fall. Die still stared at her feet, arms pulling her knees protectively against her chest. She showed no sign of talking even to Splinter.

"Sometimes strength comes not from holding onto pain, but from knowing when to let it flow. I know what my sons saw below the Earth. But you have held on to your stories, swallowed them hoping they will drown," He reached out and placed paws on both of them, "But I know that they will only fester, grow until they erupt from you."

To the rat's surprise Dinah opened her mouth and words came pouring out.

* * *

 

The broken grey tunnels extended forever. Dinah wasn't sure where she was or what had happened, but she had awoken alone and lost in a tunnel that had no end. She remembered searching for Angel's brother, she remembered a great evil and then she had awoken here. She was alone, in the dark. Her own voice echoed off the tunnel walls, repeating to her the names of her family over and over as she called to them. Heavy laughter suddenly answered her calls. A wall of shadow suddenly moved before her as Hun stepped into the dim light. Grunting he tossed a limp pile to Die's feet.

Hesitation gripped Die, she should be running, facing Hun alone would only end in a hospital bed. But something compelled her to look down, something forced her to engage in his twisted game of show and tell. The sight before her ripped a scream from her chest. on the ground lay a still and broken Mara, her face beaten beyond recognition, limbs broken and twisted. Her eyes were cold and dead as they stared up at Dinah.

Familiar tendrils of red crept into Die's vision. She gripped her friend un aware of her sobs filling the chamber. There was no doubt in her mind, Hun would die. High pitched shrieks escaped her throat as she launched herself at the behemoth. She kicked, bit, scratched anything to take down the man. Vision and memory faded as she felt her hand grasped around his neck. She squeezed, harder than she thought possible. The body beneath her thrashed and fought to stay alive. _Not this time._ She whispered in her mind. She felt the life slip slowly from the colossus as his movements stilled.

"DINAH! DIE! What did you do!" Familiar cries broke through Dinah's rage. Her head snapped up and she meet the gaze of a hysterical Mara. Tears streamed down her distinctly bruise free face, "Why would you do this?"

Dinah's mind reeled as she struggled to make sense of it all, "Mara...but...how?"

"Die, you killed them...you killed them all!" Confusion racked Die's mind and slowly she looked to where Hun once lay. Blood, there was so much blood. It pooled beneath Dinah covering her hands in thick syrup. However it wasn't the blood that caused her to wretch it was the bodies. Scattered around her were the four distinct bodies of the turtles, all silent in death. Broken bones and twisted corpses told of painful last moments, "Why Dinah? Why did you do it?"

Mara continued to sob as she stood accusingly.

"I'm sorry! I thought...Hun...No no no!" Die sputtered, this was her worst fear. She had killed her friends in rage. She had literally torn her family apart. Tears poured down her face as Mara's shouts condemned her.

* * *

 There was silence as Die's voice ebbed away. Splinter and Mara could tell that she was holding back tears. Silently Mara reached out to comfort Die. Master Splinter nodded his head as he thought of Die's story. It pained him to see such a wonderful girl carry such a dark burden.

"It is key, that we do not let our fears control us. The creature which you both faced preyed upon your darkest fears. If we let our fears control us then they are sure to be realized," Expectantly he turned to Mara waiting for her story. The young woman shifted in her seat, the same distant stare on her face. It took her a moment before finding her voice.

* * *

Mara's eyes opened slowly, only to be meet with the darkness of the underground tunnels. Head pounding she stood. The last thing she remembered was a horrific monster attacking her and her friends. She glanced around the cavern worriedly as she realized she was alone. Knots formed in the pit of her abdomen, had something terrible happened to the others? Footsteps where the only sound she made as she investigated the lengthy tunnel. Fearing that she and the others weren't the only things down there she made no attempt to call out. Cautiously she continued to search, unaware of how much time had past. One corner after the next and still nothing. Frustration and fear pushed tears down her face and made her chest incredibly tight, making it hard to breath. _I have to get myself together._ The thought repeated in her mind as she sank to the floor of the cavern. Shutting her eyes tight she tried to banish the fear she had. 

"Mara! Mara!"

"I'm over here!" She shouted as she rose and began heading toward the voice. She practically ran into Don and the others as they both rounded a corner at the same time, "Boy, I've never been so happy to see a turtle in my life."

She threw her arms around Don in an embrace. The pounding of feet cut their reunion short. Foot ninja flooded the tunnels behind them and in front, there was no escaping. The turtles pushed Mara and Die behind them forming a protective semi circle. The air was filled with the sickening thud of punches finding their mark, grunts, and bones being broken. The boys fought tooth and nail, but there was little hope as the tunnel flooded with enemies. One by one the turtles went down beneath a sea of foot. Die screamed obscenities as the foot grabbed her pulling her away from Mara. Hands reached out and restrained Mara as she fought to reach her friends. Hissing laughter cut over the noise of the fighting. The sea of ninja split and a hulking metal clad behemoth approached. A flick of the wrist had Mara's friends lined up. All were restrained and barely conscious. Mara fought against her captures but she had never been very strong and these were highly trained foot ninja. Shredder's voice dripped with contempt as he approached the young woman.

 "You weak pathetic girl! You can't defend yourself. You are the reason I was able to overtake my quarry so easily! If they had not needed to protect you, if you had been able to survive on your own I may not have overpowered them! I should thank you for making this much easier than I had originally thought. I am not without mercy, I reward the ones who help me."

With a sickening chuckle he stalked over to his captives. Reaching out an armored arm he yanked Dinah roughly by the hair. Mara's insides churned as she heard her friend scream. Shredder held Die close bringing the spiked gauntlet to her neck threateningly.

"I will spare this one, you but have to come and retrieve her," Horrible laughter filled the tunnel emanating from the various foot ninjas. Mara struggled against her captors, thrashing and kicking as hard as she could. Panic and fear gripped her with the realization that she was not strong enough. There was no way she could break free, no way to save her friend, "It appears that you do not want your reward after all...I shall dispose of it for you!"

Mara pleaded and begged in a stream of barely audible words. Struggling she continued to pull and fight against the hands that held her. The fight left her only when Shredder raised his spiked glove to Die's throat. In one fluid motion he ripped the tender flesh spattering Mara with a line of glistening red life blood. Mara screamed and sobbed as Shredder threw Die down. There she lay blood pooling underneath her, sick gurgling noises escaped her throat as she twitched and writhed. Minutes felt like an eternity as Mara stared on helplessly watching the life drain from her friend's eyes.

* * *

 Master Splinter reached up and wiped the tears that threatened to spill over his cheeks. Mara had returned to her unusual silence. Die scooted over to her friend and rested her head on her shoulder comfortingly. He knew that he could not make the fear and pain suffered by the girls go away, but he could help them deal with it.

"You must first realize that there is nothing you can do to change the things you saw. But you can use them as a tool. Fear can be an ally that fights by your side. You must take the fears that you have experienced and use them to your advantage. Know that you are not alone in your struggle. You have a family that cares very much for you. That is what keeps fear at bay, love," The sound of four unruly boys echoed through the sewer. They all shouted playfully bantering back and forth. Splinter gave the two girls a knowing smile and motioned for them to go. While they were not quite themselves, the two human girls returned to their friends no longer broken and torn but rather on the way to healing.


	12. Mara will not play "Mutant Roulette"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- Should have seen Season 4 Episode 10 - Aliens Among us and Season 4 Episode 23 & 24- Good genes 1&2 (Its not required but it is suggested)
> 
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

 

"Hey Mara, come look at this!" Donnie called out as he crouched over something oozing from a crack in the sewer wall. Mara looked over her friend's shoulder curiously. Her mouth almost dropped at what her friend was looking at.

"Is that what I think it is?" She crouched down next to Donnie.

"Guys...This is boring...I should have gone with the others," Dinah whined from behind the two friends. She turned noticing her two friends crouched over something. She leaned on the two of them looking over their shoulders, "Hey whatcha guys find?"

"I think I may have found a sample of Bishop's mutagen!" Donnie explained, as he extracted several glass specimen containers from his duffle-bag. Carefully Donatello settled the small vials under the leaking ooze, "If I can safely collect some samples then I might be able to study it's properties better."

"Yeah don't care guys. This isn't what I had in mind for getting out," Die rolled her eyes as her words fell on deaf ears. She had been stuck in the lair for two weeks, on orders from Mara. Her last run in with Hun had been rough on everyone involved and Mara had taken it upon herself to keep Dinah safe.

"Don't care...keep your mouth shut next time," Mara spouted her go to answer to the argument that Dinah was about to start. She would keep her friend safe even if it cost her both of their sanities. Mara was watching closely as the ooze dripped into the jars.

"But... But," Dinah stuttered before letting out an exasperated sigh. She had been begging Maralyn to let her go out on patrol or even leave the lair for a week. Mara wasn't having any of it, but after a particularly heated argument with Dinah she had agreed that maybe it was time to get some air. Donnie and Mara lately took patrols of the outer tunnels surrounding the lair on the watch for any mutants or mutagen created by Bishop's exploding aliens. They had thought that after Bishop had introduced his cure that the mutants were all gone, but a few creatures had managed to escape Bishop's teams. It was rare however that Donnie and Mara were to find anything really worth studying. Both Donatello and Mara were busy with their new found discovery filling jar after jar with the toxic slime.

"You guys suck," Die said kicking rocks into the stream of brackish water running next to them, "All I wanted to do was go and have a little fun but all you want to do is play with that gross shit!"

Dinah continued to find rocks and kick them into the sewer water. Picking a few up she threw them as hard as her injured shoulder would allow causing a cacophonous echo to travel down the deserted tunnels.

"I told you a thousand times, you aren't going riding with Raph ever again," Mara continued screwing the tops gingerly onto the dangerous vials.

"I told you a thousand times..." Dinah mocked Mara's voice, "Come hang out with Donnie and I it will be fun!!" She stuck her tongue out at Mara, "I'm going home."

"Wait till we get these specimens then we can all go get some pizza or something," Don chimed in putting the last vial tenderly into his bag. He hated when his two friends fought but he could understand both sides of the argument. His brothers had babied him for weeks after he had mutated into a monster due to an infectious sting from Bishop's creatures, it had been obnoxious. But he also understood the need to protect loved ones. Mara was only doing what she thought was right, "Die, I'll play you in smash bros."

Donnie's suggestion seemed to almost perk Die up. A particularly loud splash came from the stinking river behind them.

"Die! would you STOP that!" Mara snapped irritably.

"Excuse me miss bitch but that wasn't me!" Dinah snapped back frustrated at being treated like a child.

"Then what was that?" Don mused. No one had time to answer before a shuriken whistled through the air and buried itself in the stone wall of the sewer. Moments later the padded steps of Foot ninja could be heard as they surrounded the three friends. Donnie stood protectively in front of the two girls. This always seemed to happen when these two were out. The dark outlines of the ninja were blurred as they struck out hard and fast. Donnie swept three of them into the sweeping waters but three more took their place.

"Now this is fun!" Die shouted as she kicked a ninja in the crotch. She ached and her body protested but she didn't care. This was still her kind of party!

"DIE! Remember that conversation we had?" Mara asked as she threw a roundhouse kick into an attacker's ribs feeling the snap of bones.

"Oh would you stop worryin..." She let out a scream as a foot ninja grabbed her leg mid kick and twisted it dangerously. He swept her low cracking her skull against the stone ground. Dinah instantly went still.

"DINAH!!" Mara screamed as she attempted to swim through the swarm of foot ninja. This was bad this was really bad. She kicked out, scratching and punching even biting to get at her friend, "Donnie! SAVE DIE!!"

Donnie  spun his Bo staff around with a crack knocking away the attacking ninja. He spun himself around and watched in horror as one of the remaining foot lifted the unconscious Dinah up and over their shoulder.

"Put her down!" He cried swinging his weapon in an arch attempting to get to Die and her captor.  The ninja carrying Die easily escaped the chaos of the fight. He turned and looked at Mara and Donnie triumphantly.

"Mistress Karai has a great interest in the substance that you carry," He hissed almost formally, "We shall discuss a trade soon."

The ninja threw a smoke pellet down filling the tunnel with smoke.

"Din....Dinah!!" Mara choked on the thick chemical fog, "Fucking Bastards."

She shouted wiping the stinging tears from her eyes swinging blindly in an attempt to catch the already fleeing Foot ninja. Donatello's voice broke through the haze.

"Mara... She's gone!" He grasped Mara's shoulder's stilling her panicked movements. Mara felt the heavy weight of loss in her stomach and she slumped forward into Donatello tears streaming down her face.

"Don what are we going to do," she sobbed, "We just got her back and they took her they just stole her!"

Mara clenched her jaw to keep down the scream welling behind her throat. She looked around the deserted sewer tunnel searching for any sign of where they might have taken her friend. It was then that Mara spotted a large dark heap a few yards away. She pushed away from Donnie and scrambled over to it. She realized it was an unconscious foot ninja. Rolling him over she found his pulse and felt a rush of anger and hope fill her. She looked up at her turtle friends with fire in her eyes, "Help me with him Don."

 

* * *

Aki Hamasaki had grown up a wretch on the streets of Tokyo. He had learn to steal, cheat, and even kill at a young age. It was after a particularly nasty, but successful, stream of robberies that the Foot had approached him. They had seen that he had potential and he had jumped at the chance to become apart of the ancient crime organization. They had trained him and taught him english and when Oroku Saki was killed and Karai left in charge he had been brought over to America to aid in her quest for revenge. Now he silently wished he had stayed a street kid. His head pounded and throbbed, his body screamed with pain. But all that paled in comparison with the look in the eyes of the girl that stood before him.

"Good Fucking sleeping beauty is awake!" She snapped backhanding him. Through the pain and white light he could hear another's voice.

"Mara, we need to get Master Splinter and the others," Don spoke softly afraid of what the raging creature before him might do. Mara ignored him and continued her interrogation.

"Where are they taking her?"

"Anything you will do to me will be paradise compared to what Mistress will do if I betray her," He tried to sound confident but the anger, pain, and worry for her friend radiated like heat from the woman causing Aki to stutter slightly. She stared him in the eye tendrils of hatred consuming her normally placid blue eyes. She reached her hand out and grabbed him by the collar. Pulling him inches from her face she let her voice drop dangerously low.

"You have no idea what I can do when you mess with my family!!!" Aki felt a shiver of fear before pushing it away. He knew all about this woman. Kari had personally briefed them all on the two humans. She was weak, protected by those much stronger than herself therefore a target.

"So much anger from one so weak, but you will get nothing from me," Mara threw the man onto the stone lined ground kicking him in the chest. Crunching sounds of breaking ribs echoed down the empty sewer tunnel.

"Maralyn!! This is not the way to do this!" Donnie shouted laying a hand on her shoulder. He was frightened by the rage and anger consuming his friend. She shrugged it off consumed with the need to find her friend. She would not be useless. She would not wait in this. She was going to find her. Maralyn scrambled over to Donatello's duffel-bag. Reaching in she extracted a vial of mutagen.

"You know what this is!" She shouted storming up to her prisoner shoving the blueish container under his nose, "You've seen what it does to the things it touches!"

"Mara..." Donnie attempted to interrupt her seeing where this was heading.

"No Don, this asshole thinks that nothing I can do will be as bad as Karai," She slowly unscrewed the lid of the jar smiling a wide toothy grin, she hissed, "Well Lets play a little game."

Slowly she raised the jar above the cringing man's head tipping it gently. The congealing liquid splashed forward threatening to spill over the lip of the jar, "It's something I like to call Mutant Roulette. I pour a small little drop... only a drop, that's all it takes, onto your head. Then we see what you turn into."

She tipped the jar a little more and the ooze kissed the outer edge of the container, barely held in by the prayers of Aki. He whimpered but said nothing.

"There's a chance you might get to be something awesome, like my friend here," She nodded to Donatello standing anxiously in fear of the scene before him, "But chances are you'll painfully twist and change into the monster you and your bastard brethren truly are! Well... are you ready to play?"

A drop of the toxic liquid slipped down the side of the jar and spattered centimeters from the injured ninja's head. Aki's resolve broke like a dam. He screamed and cried like a small child.

"Please no!!! DON'T... Karai is taking her to a warehouse on Laird!!!" He sputtered and sobbed as all the plans Karai had of using the two girls as bargaining chips for Donatello's mutant research poured from him.

"There's a good ninja," Mara whispered before capping the vial and tossing it to Donnie. She slammed a booted foot into Aki's head sending him into a world of darkness. Donatello stood there in shock. He was both in awe and fear of his friend. She meet his amber eyes feeling the boiling anger turn to resolve, "Call the others, we are getting her back Don."

 

 


	13. Die will not insult the Shredder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- Should have seen Season 4 Episode 10 - Aliens Among us and Season 4 Episode 23 & 24- Good genes 1&2 (Its not required but it is suggested)
> 
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

Consciousness returned to Dinah in the form of pain. Her head threatened to split at any moment her body was painfully stiff. She lifted her head, attempting to open her eyes. Son of a bitch it hurt to move. Sucking in a deep breath she forced her eyes to open. She didn’t recognize her surroundings. Towers of wooden crates and over hanging lights stretched in front of her. It was a warehouse. Where the hell was she? She painfully tried to move her arms only to find them contorted behind her. She strained her legs gasping as pain shot through her knee. It dawned on her that she was strapped to a chair. This was so typical. Kidnap the woman, bring her to a warehouse, and strap her to a chair. Did they have no new ideas? Her memories were foggy, she remembered being out with Mara and Donnie. She was helping them search for research samples in the sewers affected by Bishop's mutant outbreak. There had been ninjas then nothing. She let out a small groan. Ninja's...that meant Karai. She hated that bitch.

  
Gingerly she looked around her, wincing in pain. She had not yet fully healed from her run in with Hun and now she was in the same kind of situation. At least Karai didn't have a personal vendetta against her as Hun did. That over grown monkey man wanted her dead no questions. All Karai wanted, was to make her friends suffer for the imagined betrayal of her father. Swallowing she squinted into the darkness, everything was still.

  
“I should get my frequent kidnapper's card stamped!” She had intended to yell but the words caught in her rough throat coming out as a rasp, “You are still doing that promotion right?”

It hurt to talk, her comments lingered painfully but she couldn't stop herself. Mara hated when she mouthed off to whatever danger threatened them. But to Dinah it was a defense mechanism, show them no fear and eventually you could convince yourself you weren't afraid. Movement in the shadow caught Dinah's eye.

  
“You should choose your words more carefully wretch, I would not be making light of your situation,” Karai stepped from the darkness and stood in front of Die. Her Shredder armor glinted maliciously in the dim glow of the hanging lights.

  
“Yeah? Well I'd have to drop quite a few IQ points to be you,” Dinah spat glaring at Karai. Her father had terrified Mara but Die had always found him some what fun to poke. Honor was easily bruised and produced a great reaction. She found that the same was true of his daughter.

  
“You insubordinate fool,” Karai hissed stepping closer to the bound and bruised girl, “You may have strength now, but I will break you.”

She leaned in inches from Die's face. Her green eyes danced with hate. Dinah leveled her stare, matching Karai's. The two sat a moment frozen in the staring match.

  
“What are you going to do? Shred some cheese? I could really use some Nachos right about now,” Dinah cracked an aching smile, “You know for a shredder you are pretty dull.”

Karai let out a furious shriek before raking Die's face with her two pronged wrist guard. Dinah cried out in pain as blood began to slip from the gashes in her cheek. She lulled her head forward to hide her watering eyes.

“You will not use that name!” Karai shouted, “I will break you. Slowly and painfully I will break you!”

Dinah shuddered as she watched the blood drip onto her shirt. 

“Once your friends come to rescue their precious Dinah I shall capture every one of them. Donatello will exchange his research for the lives of his friends and family. As soon as I have what I want I will cut them down. Slowly, intimately, in every way that they fear,” Karai crouched down roughly grabbing Dinah's face forcing her to meet her eyes and smiling maliciously, “With the turtles gone I will use that weak friend of yours as my first test subject. Yes, sweet Maralyn will be the first to become one of my army of mutants. Hideous mindless creatures commanded by the wrath of the Shredder! Once you have watched each of your friends suffering and the will has drained from your spirit, then and only then will I kill you.”

Dinah clenched her teeth swallowing the rage. Despite her body's pain she strained against the ropes keeping her arms from strangling the awful woman before her. With a final glare Karai let Dinah's head fall forward again.

“Do you know why you are so dull.... Shredder?” Die hissed the last word with disgust, “You've been so occupied with me you didn't see the giant ass turtles standing behind you.”

Karai spun on her heels furiously just in time to witness the angry faces of the turtles before Raph's fist plunged her into unconsciousness.

“I'm gettin' real tired of your girlfriend Leo," Raph growled jumping over Karai's unconscious body to Die's side, "Hey stay with me girly, we'll getcha outta here in no time."

Leo rushed to Die, making quick work of her bindings with his katanas. Donatello steadied her as he scanned for broken bones or extraneous injuries. She was dizzy and the blood returning to her limbs caused painful pins and needles. They all looked at her with worry and concern.

"Hey Die do you have some wicked deja vu?" Mikey joked lifting her up, relieved she was still alive. 

"Not now Mikey, We have to get out of here now. Before Karai comes to," Leo chided

"Hey if you two screwed more then maybe she wouldn't be so tense," Both Mikey and Raph almost fell over in tears laughing.

Leo fell silent and continued walking, "Laugh it up while you can. When we get back I think Mara has a nice kennel to keep you in for the remainder of your life."

Die groaned with the thought of her hysteric friend. If she was lucky she would get to leave the lair again when she died. 

 _"Well,"_ Die thought,  _"At least she cares..."_


	14. Die Shall not put herself in danger to make Mara go berserk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

“Dude did you see….”

“Yes! Wasn’t it great when…”

“Yeah and then…”

Mara shook her head listening to Die and Raph go back and forth about the movie they had just watched. It was some new horror film and it had apparently impressed Die and Raph. They walked in front of the group with excitement, Die’s hands flying about as she talked, they were followed by Mikey who seemed unusually jumpy, then Mara and Donnie with Leo bringing up the rear. Everything was peaceful, everything was calm, they all should have known better.

They had just turned into an alley when a hand shot out and grabbed Die’s upper arm. She let out a startled yelp and threw her fist at the person. The turtles rushed forward to defend Die. Donnie pushed Mara to the side drawing his bo staff. Die’s fist came in contact with a white plastic and she let out a yelp as her hand started to sting. There was a curse and her assailant fell backwards onto his rear.

“DAMN GIRL,” The voice was familiar and everyone froze, “It was just a joke!”

Mara drew her flash light and shined it on the man holding his nose, a hockey mask pushed up on his head and his eyes watering. There were grumblings from the turtles as they sheathed their weapons.

“Casey Jones,” Mara growled at him, “That was not funny.”

They all started back down the alley, Casey found forgiveness from Die and Raph by asking about the movie. They were approaching the entrance to the sewers they were going to use to return home when another hand shot out of the darkness. Die’s breath whooshed from her lungs as she crashed into Casey sending them both crashing to the ground. Mara rushed to her downed friend as purple dragons stepped out of the shadows, there was a half circle around the girls formed by four turtles and their male human friend.

“Since when do these punks know how to fight,” Raph yelled barely dodging a blow to the head. No one answered him, but they all wondered the same thing. The dragons were fighting well, almost as if they knew what the turtles and Casey were going to do before they did it. Mara was trying to urge Die to leave, if they got out of there the turtles and Casey should follow. But the blonde ignored her friend, whipping the blood still trickling from her split lip. She watched the dragons trying to figure out where she had seen a similar fighting style before. She glanced up at a large man leaning against the wall smiling maliciously towards the turtles who were slowly being driven back.

“Die? Die what are you doing?” Mara’s voice raised in slight panic as her friend pushed away from her and inched around the fight…right towards Hun. Mara could hear the blood rushing in her ears from her pounding heart.

“Yo,” Die said smiling her Cheshire grin up at the large man who glared at her, “Escape from the Zoo again?”

Hun merely grunted as he swung his hand at the pest of a girl. Die hissed as the large man’s hand caught her on the same cheek Karai had recently sliced open sending her slamming into the wall. Dinah shook her head and pushed herself back to her feet ready to take a few more hits when she realized he was ignoring her. He threw her into a wall then ignored her. Swiping the back of her hand across her mouth Die felt her temper rise, no one ignored her…ever.

“Here I was thinking you were a great purple dragon leader man,” Dinah’s Cheshire grin had vanished to be replaced with an arrogant sneer as she snorted, “But you’re nothing more than a itty bitty lap dog. Hun? Must be short for _Hunny_ or something right Fifi?”

Mara watched in horror as her best friend walked up to the man that had, in Die’s own words, used her as a human hacky sack. The turtles and Casey were held back by the sheer number of purple dragons as Dinah was thrown against the wall. Mara let out a small sigh of relief when it appeared Hun was going to ignore her idiotic friend, but the blood drained from her face when Die stood up. Mara couldn’t hear what was being said but she recognized the indignant look on her friend’s face when she was back on her feet. And as Mara began to move towards them she felt her stomach drop. Dinah had never been proud of the bullying she’d done in her youth but Mara knew that sneer all too well, knew that Die would push and snarl until just the look alone would be enough to make someone feel small and insignificant from it…she also knew that Hun wouldn’t appreciate someone trying to bully him.

Mara’s fears were proven true as a beefy hand wrapped around Die’s neck hoisting her from the ground. Die kicked out at the man trying to claw his hand from her throat as she gasped for breath. Dinah hoped her plan worked as spots began to form in her vision, she could hear Hun’s voice but couldn’t make out what he was saying as she felt a meaty fist collide with her midsection forcing what little air she had from her lungs just before she hit the ground again.

Mara couldn’t quite remember what happened a few moments later. She had brief, picture like, memories: watching Die hit the ground, her friend not moving, Hun’s look of shock, the same face covered in blood and her fist hurting, hands strong and steady pulling her back, the sound of footsteps running and sirens approaching.

“You can put me down now, Mikey,” Die’s voice was raspy as everyone slowed to a stop. Mikey slowly sat her down on her feet and she stood shakily hanging onto the turtle for support. Mara pushed away from Donnie and Leo to grab her friend and look into her eyes. Die grinned back sheepishly, “Knew you’d lose it when I went down.”

“You…You…Bitch,” Mara said shocked looking at her friend realizing what she’d done. Knowingly put herself in danger just to get Mara to go berserk on the punks. Mara began to shake her friend roughly, “Don’t you ever do that again!”


	15. Die Shall not Spike Master Splinter's Tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

“It is for your own good, Dinah,” Leonardo’s tone booked no argument, but that had never stopped Dinah before.

“My own good? Being kept locked up in a dungeon is for my own good? I was kidnapped,” Dinah snarled at the blue clad turtle, “I didn’t commit high treason!”

“The lair is hardly a dungeon,” Leo’s thinning patience was beginning to show as he gestured to Dinah’s still split cheek, “And your wounds haven’t healed yet.”

“Of course they haven’t, the Gorilla and his goons used me as a hacky sack then your girlfriend tried to turn me into shredded cheese! Why should that stop me from going out?”

“I’m not having this argument anymore,” Leo threw his hands up in the air and for a brief moment Die thought she had won this argument, “Continue it with Mara if you’re that desperate.”

Die threw an obscene gesture in Leo’s direction before turning around and stomping to her room, when the door slammed the other lair dwelling creatures flinched.

* * *

Dinah glared at the television slamming buttons on her controller with an occasional snarl escaping her lips. She watched as the little plumber in red bounced across the screen, sparing no turtle, in the race to the finish. Not far from her sat an aged rat who watched on with knowing eyes.

“Your friends,” The sound of Master Splinter’s voice caused Die to glance his way momentarily, “They are only doing what they feel is best. They care about you.”

Die's glare darkened at the screen as silence resumed the room again. After a moment though she sighed at sat down the control with a nod. She crossed her arms then slowly an idea began to form in her head and a smile tugged slightly at her lips, “I know. Would you like some tea, Master Splinter? My mom sent some form a local company back in Colorado.”

“I would greatly enjoy that,” Splinter smiled at the girl who stood up and quickly walked to her room before going into the kitchen to prepare tea.

 _“Leave me behind will you,”_ Dinah thought stirring the steaming tea gently before carrying it back to the rat, _“We’ll see how you handle this when you get home!”_

* * *

“Come on guys,” Mara shifted her feet impatiently waiting for her turtle friends. For the past hour her _Dinah’s-doing-something-she-shouldn’t_ sense had been going off nonstop, “Dinah’s up to something, I know she is…I hope she didn’t leave the lair…”

“You’re worrying too much,” Mikey said hoisting his bag of treats up in one hand as he clapped his friend on the shoulder. He knew Die would forgive them once he shows her the candies and comics he had gotten for her.

“No! No! You mustn’t do that,” at the sound of Master Splinter’s voice outside the lair door the four turtles glanced at each other and Mara, his voice sounded off, almost slurred. They opened the door to see Master Splinter in front of the television swaying slightly as he pressed buttons on the control, “You most use your inner strength my son…don’t harm the plumber…”

“Master Splinter,” Leo said cautiously stepping towards his father. Splinter turned slightly glazed eyes onto his oldest son.

“LEONARDO,” Splinter’s voice was suddenly loud as he stumbled towards the turtle. He tripped the last step grasping Leo’s shoulders, “We must stop your brother! Raphael has kidnapped a princess!”

“What,” Leo looked at his brother who looked just as confused as he was as giggling started from a nearby chair.

“You brother, we must save him from himself,” Master Splinter leaned more firmly against his son who wrinkled his nose.

“Have you…have you been drinking,” Leo could barely form the question, it was such an absurd thought but his father reeked of alcohol.

“Just the most delicious tea,” Master Splinter said turning and stumbling back towards the television.

“Tea,” Donnie looked worried as Die popped her head over the chair. Her cheeks were flushed and she was grinning widely as Master Splinter continued to try talking “Raph” down from beating on the plumber and to return the princess.

“Yep,” Die smiled brighter, she held up a nearly empty bottle of amber liquid, “With a little extra something thrown in.”

“What have you done,” Mara whispered as five pairs of eyes widened at the blonde. For her part Die started to giggle. She turned around in her seat and tipped the bottle back as she watched Master Splinter turn once again from the television towards one of his sons. This time he attached himself to Raphael demanding to know why he had been so cruel to the poor little plumber. Die’s laugh echoed through the lair.


	16. Die Shall Always Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

“IF YOU ARE SO UN-FUCKING-HAPPY THEN WHY DON’T YOU JUST LEAVE,” Maralyn’s voice echoed through the lair.

“MAYBE I WILL,” Dinah’s voice chased after it. The meditating rat flinched. His sons had made themselves scarce when the two women had started arguing over an hour ago and as their voices had raised he began to wish he had too. This argument seemed more heated than their other ones though and Master Splinter had simply wanted to ensure that nothing was done that couldn’t be undone. Their voices would rise one at a time then crash over each other drowning out the other. He could no longer distinguish words but they seemed to be able to.

“YOU’RE NOT NEEDED HERE ANYWAYS! ALL YOU DO IS CAUSE PROBLEMS AND GET INTO TROUBLE, RUN AWAY,” Splinter rose to his feet and rushed to stop the words but he was too late as Mara screamed, “JUST RUN AWAY BACK TO YOUR PRESCIOUS MOUNTAINS! GO HOME! WE DON’T EVEN WANT YOU HERE! I NEVER WANTED YOU HERE ANYWAYS!”

The two women stood inches from each other. Mara’s eyes began to widen as she registered what she had said. Dinah’s narrowed dangerously, she spun on her heel with a sneer and marched to her room. Mara’s hand was left hanging in the air, she hadn’t meant the words, and they both knew it, but tempers that have been fanned with worry and stress rarely cool quickly.

* * *

 

“I miss Die,” Mikey said glumly as he beat Leo in another video game. He dropped his controller onto the table and looked at the closed door. It had been nearly a month and none of them had heard from Dinah. She would answer her phone but it was always with an “I’m busy I’ll have to talk to you some other time” before she hung up, except Mara who simply was sent straight to voice mail.

“Me too,” Mara said staring at another blank page. Dinah was the queen of holding a grudge but this was too much. Mara and Dinah hadn’t gone more than a couple days without talking to each other since they had become friends in elementary school. She’d planned on giving Die time too cool her temper then talk it out. They’d always been able to talk it out. But not this time. Mara couldn’t even remember what they had been arguing about…

* * *

 

Halfway across the country Dinah stared out the window at tall mountains and listened to the quiet. Her roommates sat quietly watching television. Die sighed as she looked around. She missed being crowded, she missed the constant noise of New York city, she missed having to check in or coming home to a lecture, she missed sparing with Raph, yanking on Leo’s chain, beating Mikey in video games, debating scientific theories with Donnie, pretending to ignore Master Splinter when they both knew he knew she wasn’t, and most of all she missed Mara. She missed having her best friend at her back and by her side to be her voice of reason. Glancing around again Die stood up and walked to the room she’d been living in but would never really be her’s.

* * *

 

“We should go get her,” Mikey said about a week later throwing his arms in the air, “We haven’t been the same without her!”

“Mikey,” Mara looked up at Mikey sadly. He was right, none of them were quite right without Dinah. It was like part of them was missing. But Mara knew Die, knew that stubbornness that wouldn’t bend to anyone’s wishes, that willfulness that allowed her to look an enemy in the eye and challenge them when she knew she was going to lose. So she shook her head slightly, “It’d never work.”

“Why not,” Mikey said putting his hands on his hips and glared.

“We could drag her back if we have to,” Raph said looking from his younger brother to his older brothers, “Kicking and screaming.”

“I can’t physically force her to do anything,” Mara said slumping in her seat at the biggest flaw in their plan, “How would even one of you get there much less all four.”

“I could modify the battleshell for cross country travel,” Donnie said getting up when Leo nodded his agreement, “And we can take it.”

“If I knew I could have gotten an armored escort,” an unexpected voice drifted from the lair’s entrance, “I would have avoided the jet lag…”

“Die,” Mara whispered before she lunged over the back of the chair and embraced her friend followed closely by the turtles. Die let out a hiss of pain as she was crushed by her family. Mara immediately pulled back, “What was that?”

“What was what,” Die asked innocently blinking at her taller friend whose eyes narrowed.

“You hissed…in pain…why?”

“Oh that, that’s nothing,” Die looked sideways waving her hand slightly, “Just some broken ribs I’ll live.”

“Broken ribs,” Leo’s voice asked before Mara’s could.

“Yeah, I rolled a jeep. Really stupid of me honestly, I was on this dirt road and was going faster than I should have when…”

“YOU DID WHAT?!” Mara’s outburst was completely expected and as she began to rant at the blonde everyone felt as if the missing piece of the puzzle had fallen into place. Dinah sighed and walked towards the couch sitting down she tossed a controller at Mikey who grinned widely as they started their game up. Later Die would tell her friend it was really nothing more than a fall down some stairs that broke a rib but for now she would enjoy the feeling that you can only get when you know your friends care about you as Donnie brought out the first aid kit he kept in his lab and Leo and Raph sat down to cheer and watch their friend and brother. A thin hand fell upon Die’s shoulder causing her to look up and behind her.

“Welcome home,” Master Splinter said before turning away. Die smiled, turning back to the game. She didn’t know when but somewhere between crashing the battleshell and being targeted by people that simply wanted to cause her friends pain, this noisy, messy, underground, smelly living area had become home, and it was good to be back.


	17. Mara will avoid getting kidnapped by Bishop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

Mara walked down the street. She bobbed her head slightly as she timed her walk to the music flowing through her headphones. It was a good day. She and Die had made up and she was on her way to a home full of friends. She shifted slightly, readjusting the shopping bags in her arms. She had picked up a few goodies for her and the others this evening. Her favorite song started playing and she picked up her pace enjoying the fading sunlight. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a distinct yellow cab pull up beside her. Maralyn eyed it wearily until the passenger window rolled down and an orange masked face popped out.

"Heya Chica! You need a ride?" Mikey's voice called playfully.

"I don't know," She replied in mock skepticism, "My mom taught me to never get into a car with strange guys...and you are as strange as it gets."

Mikey let out a laugh and motioned for her to get in the back.

"Hey Mara!" Don waved from the driver seat as she slid into the backseat, "Ignore the mess we are just coming from a junk run. We thought it was getting dark and you might need a lift."

He waved at the pile of various beaten and broken electronic and mechanical devices. Mara smiled as she pictured the never ending gadgets and devices that Don's brain would come up with.

"OOh new toys!" She cooed. She had always loved working on hardware and electronics with her father as a kid, Don had been ecstatic to find someone as in to fixing hardware as he was. She poked at the pile of possibilities.

"Whatcha got in the bag?" Mikey turned around in his seat and flashing a smile like a small child. Mara returned the grin.

"Oh the usual gummy bears, chips, dip, pretzels, pizza flavored pringles, and soda. I'm all set for tonight."

"Did you bring it?" Don asked looking back at her in the mirror hopefully.

"Of course," She stated reaching into her bag to extract a dvd, "The complete series of Firefly. Complete with commentary and extra features."

Mara waved it for Donatello to see. Her green friend smiled satisfied.

"I can't believe you got Dinah to agree to a scifi night!" Mikey blurted in the front seat. He still couldn't picture his friend sitting through hours of futuristic landscapes weapons and aliens.

"She didn't have a choice, its payment for the 'I rolled a jeep on myself' prank," Mara shot him a knowing toothy grin. She hadn't really been mad, but she had decided that having to watch Firefly with her and the guys was fitting punishment for scaring her.

"Well we'll still have to listen to the whining from both her and Raph though," Donnie mumbled all too familiar with both Die and Raph's dislike of science fiction.

"Don't worry about them," Mara cracked a knowing smile, "I've got a bottle of SoCo here that should keep both of them quiet for a while."

Glancing out the back window Mara noticed a large black truck turn into the lane behind them. It was oddly familiar but she thought she was just being paranoid. It was all too common that trouble would find them, and she couldn't help but feel cautious of every dark truck she saw. Shaking off the apprehension she continued to chat with Don and Mikey about their day and shared enthusiastic remarks about the movie selections. 15 minutes went by and she glanced behind them again. The truck was still there and the apprehension flooded back.

"Uh Donnie, I think we might have some company. 6 o'clock," She mumbled looking away to avoid suspicion. The large turtle looked in the mirror furrowing his brow.

"I've seen that van before, I just don't know where," He thought out loud, "Let's see if they follow this."

He flipped his signal on and turned the nearest left turn somewhat sharply. All three of them watched hopefully in the mirrors holding their breath. The menacing black truck turned also. Mara felt her stomach lurch with anxiety. She just wanted to go home and enjoy the night with her friends. But it was common for her and her friends to be targeted by unsavory people. The yellow taxi sped along backstreets of New York turning this way and that trying to shake the now obvious surveillance van.

"Mara can you call Leo and Raph?" Donatello asked the tension of the growing situation evident in his voice, "Tell them we are on Trent and Marcos."

Mara reached for her cell phone and pressed Leo's speed-dial number. _rrrriiinnng_ She looked behind them, watching the foreboding van trailing them. _rrrriiinnng_ Eyes still on the vehicle the van started to pick up speed covering the distance between the cars' bumpers. Donatello and Mikey both growled quietly signaling that they to were watching the dark truck as well. _rrrriiinnng_ Mara barely registered the call connecting as she turned to look ahead out the windshield. Her scream was the last thing any of them heard before slamming into the waiting blockade before them.

* * *

 

"Die, will you get that?" Leo called from the kitchen. Die frowned, blue eyes never leaving the television screen as she furiously smashed buttons.

"Better hurry up girlie, you're only two hits from dying," Raph mocked her as his character preformed combo after combo. He laughed at her anger, he was always good at fighting games, but playing Dinah was too much fun. What she lacked in gaming skill she made up for in frustrated button smashing. Die would scream every obscenity known to man while beating her controller as if hitting the button hardest would help her win.

"Can't...kinda busy!" She shifted her weight engrossed in the game before her, "No fair _RAPHIE BOY!"_

She jabbed her elbow into Raph's side as his character preformed a rather brutal combo.

"Please!" Leo called in his all too familiar 'leader' voice as Raph put it, "It's probably Don and Mikey!"

Without taking her eyes off the dancing screen Dinah grasped the phone and angrily flipped it open.

"This better be good," She deadpanned into the phone. Leo rolled his eyes irritated with his friend's rudeness, all the while knowing she did it only to push his buttons. He continued to cut vegetables for dinner. He expected the call to be nothing but Donatello checking in with him. Leo had asked Donatello and Michelangelo to pick up Mara on their way home. With all the close calls that had happened in the past months there was a new unspoken rule that the girls wouldn't go anywhere after dark without a turtle escort. Leo almost cut himself as Dinah's unusually panicked voice echoed through the lair.

"LEO! SOMETHING'S REALLY REALLY WRONG!!!"

* * *

 

The high-pitched ringing in Mara's head was almost unbearable. The world was spinning. Reaching up she held a hand to her forehead only to pull it away with a pained hiss. Her world was a jumble of confusing sensations. Pain and worry overwhelmed her mind. Thick smoke billowing from the front seat stung her eyes. She frantically tried to unbuckle her constrictive seat belt.

"Don...Mikey..." She coughed. Her cries were answered with heavy silence. She clawed fearfully at the cloth keeping her from checking on her friends. Just then the door to her right flew open. The fresh air pulled the smoke around her head blocking her vision. She cried expecting her savior to be Donatello or Mikey, "Help! I'm stuck!"

To her horror a very human hand plunged into the smoke holding a rag over her mouth. The sinister cloth swallowed her terrified cries. Mara tried to lash out but couldn't fight the betrayal of her eyelids as they slid closed.

Her next conscious moment found Mara in a room smaller than the average elevator. Six ugly grey concrete walls surrounded her. Anxiety rose up in her throat as she realized that there was a distinct lack of a door. " _I hate small spaces,"_ she thought, " _Where am I? Where is Don and Mikey? Are they alive? Who would do this?"_ Questions slammed through her head each one adding to the growing anxiety. " _No you can get through this."_ Breathing deeply she sank to the floor falling into a meditative position and pushed at the horrifying thoughts. If there was one thing she could control now it was her reaction.

She cleared a space in her mind, a wide open field full of air that she could breath. A sense of relief washed over her as she continued to push the anxiety away. She had to wait. Her friends would come. She would get out of here. She just had to breath.

Her mental shelter shattered into fragile pieces as she felt the wall behind her press into her back. Her eyes flew open only to see the walls before her growing closer. Her anxiety boiled into full blown panic with the realization that her limited space was quickly disappearing. All thoughts of dealing with her situation melted. Fear assaulted her body, causing her to pound against the on coming walls. She braced her legs against her confines feeling the walls still inch against her. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her voice choked out in animal like sobs. Mara's breaths came in gulping short hiccups. The world was literally closing in and she clawed at the walls as her vision tunneled.

* * *

 

Donatello's stomach clenched as he watched the computer monitors. Mara's eyes were wide with panic and her screams echoed through the speakers. Her fear broke his heart but he couldn't look away.

"You can stop this Donatello," Bishop's calm voice spoke over Mara's suffering, "We spared your brother, and you can save her to. All you need to do is turn over your work with my mutagen," He smiled staring into Donatello's face. Bishop had orchestrated the kidnapping of both Maralyn and Donatello in an attempt to extort information on Donatello's research with his mutagen. He knew from the interrogation of a few of Karai's ninja that Donatello and Mara had found new properties in his mutagenic toxins that could aid in his obsession with creating mutant super soldiers fit to fend off alien invasions. He had decided that Mara was a sufficient weak point to gain information from. The other turtles were too capable of fighting back and the other human never seemed to be bothered by anything but the soft hearted human girl was the perfect pressure point to push the level minded turtle. Smiling evilly he cranked the volume on the monitors, "The way I see it she has about 3 minutes before her system goes into full cardiac arrest."

Donatello strained against his restraints.

"I told you! We didn't discover anything new! Its just an obscurity in the chemical make up of your mutagen!" Don's voice strained in worry. He had told Bishop everything they had discovered but the maniac didn't believe him. He was convinced that there was some new found property to his abominable substance,  he pleaded, "Please! Let me show you! I'll get my notebooks I'll show you..."

"No I want your results NOW!" Bishop snarled pushing the controls to shrink Mara's prison even further, "You must not care much if you won't even produce a little bit of information to save her," Bishop was growing increasingly impatient with the mutant. Mara's screams grew louder with every inch that the walls grew closer, "You could save her!" The mad man screamed at Don. Donatello screwed his eyes tight trying to block the horrifying torture from his mind there was nothing he could do... he was going to watch his friend die!

It was then that a sai whirled from above crashing into one of Bishop's control panels sending electrical arcs across the metal. Raph, Leo, and Mikey landed in front of Bishop caching him off-guard. Raphael slammed a round house kick into Bishop's side sending him crashing into a shelf full of specimen jars where he lay in a dazed heap.

"Guys! I have to stop the program!" Don screamed. All three of his brother's turned to free him, quickly snapping the metal restraints. As soon as Don was free he raced to the smoking computer module working frantically to end Mara's torture. He fell into a rhythm as he searched lines of code for a way to shut the whole thing down. The others watched on in horror unable to look away as fear consumed their friend. Don's eyes grew wide with recognition he slammed his fingers into keys sending the cancellation commands to the system.

Mara's screams stopped suddenly replaced by quiet sobbing. The walls slowly receded, returning the air to her world. Leo and Mikey rushed to find the rigged room holding their friend. Donatello watched the screen before him the fear of losing Mara drained away quickly, in its wake came a rage rarely felt by the gentle turtle. Mara lay curled in the floor of her prison head buried in her knees seizure like shivers running through her body. Donatello clenched his fists. Within seconds he stood over the injured Bishop. Donatello's muscular hand shot out to enclose around his throat. Lifting the man up off the ground he brought him close. Bishop grasped at his neck sputtering and choking.

"You're right I could save her," Don's voice was dangerously low, "And the way I see it, you have exactly two minutes before you choke to death!" He tightened his grip. Bishop lost consciousness falling limp in Donatello's death grip.

Raphael looked on swimming in his usual anger. He was normally the first one to lose himself in the rage and bloodlust. He could still hear Maralyn's screams echoing in his ears. He would have gladly let his brother kill Bishop right there and right now, but a blaring siren started to wail through Bishop's lab. Leo and Mikey reappeared running for the exit, Leo held Mara.

"Don! Raph! We need to go NOW! Bishop's backup is on their way!" Leo shouted. Donatello didn't budge seeming to ignore his brother's order.

"No Leo this ends now!" He said through gritted teeth, rage still rushing through him. Raphael felt panic overwhelm his anger as he looked over Mara, she was in bad shape. Violent shaking still wracked her body, her skin was pale and her eyes stared into nothing. Reaching out he grabbed Donatello's shoulder.

"Don we ain't got time for this! Mara needs ya help I think she's in shock!" Don snapped out of his rage releasing the limp Bishop to slump to the ground. His usual level headed look returned to his eyes. Turning he followed his brothers out of the diabolical laboratory.

* * *

 

"And ANOTHER thing you are never allowed to yell at me about getting kidnapped again!!!" Die paced back and forth flailing her arms in her unique brand of sign language, "You didn't let me leave this place for weeks! Well guess what you don't get to leave... ever! At least Hun only wants to break my neck!" She had been yelling at Mara for over 20 minutes. Mara was ignoring it watching past her spaztic friend to the T.V.

"Yes, I know you told me," she repeated for the hundredth time. It was a few days after their return. Once they had made it back to the lair Don had worked quickly to bring Mara out of shock preventing serious organ failure and death. Dinah had stayed quietly waiting for the next few days as Mara recovered. However as soon as Mara had begun to speak again Dinah had unleashed her rant.

"...and you!!" She spun around pointing a finger at the others, "How is that glasses wearing freak still alive?!" All four turtles rolled their eyes... it was an old accusation. When Dinah couldn't yell at Mara she had yelled at the turtles, "He tried to kill her! WITH FEAR!!!"

Dinah's voice caught in her throat unexpectedly. All eyes turned to stare as Die threw her arms around Mara's neck,"New rule!! You are NEVER allowed to get kidnapped by that Freak again!!!"

"I second that rule!" Don's voice sounded from behind the wall of computer monitors. The sound of agreement resonated from the rest of the turtles. Mara felt a small smile grow at the corners of her mouth. 

"I don't plan on it," Mara stated simply hugging Die back.


	18. Sticks and Stones can break your bones...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suggested Episodes- None 
> 
> As the usual TMNT doesn't belong to us but Mara and Die do.

Mara breathed in heavily. Sweat slid down the side of her face lingering momentarily before dripping onto her shirt. She tightened her grip on her bo staff and squared her footing. Focusing, she glanced at the intended path of her weapon. With a grunt she swept the pole low, in the attempt to unbalance her target. Her swing meet with only air. Before she could register her mistake a flash of green twisted her arms around forcing her to drop her weapon and bringing the deadly tip of a sai to her throat.

"Damn it all!" she shouted trying to catch her breath.

"Your lookin where ya gonna hit," Raph stated, releasing her, "Your tellin me exactly whatcha bout ta do."

Mara swept up the bo staff and readied herself again. Keeping her footing light she danced around Raphael. After the last run in with Hun, in which Dinah had purposefully put herself in danger, then the encounter with Bishop Mara had decided she needed to know how to truly defend herself. She had decided to ask Raphael for help. She knew that he would not hold his punches, being brutally honest with her about her skills, and he would probably enjoy the extra sparring practice. He had been reluctant at first, afraid that the usually gentle girl was biting off more than she could chew. He had urged her to go to Donatello or Leo knowing that they would be better at teaching but she had insisted that she wanted to learn from him. After some prodding Raphael had agreed to help her. Tonight was particularly difficult for her. She had not made a single successful hit and she could tell Raph's patience was running thin. Mara swung frustrated attack after attack, each one stopped by her red clad friend.

"Too slow, you need ta get some more power behind it. That one was sloppy! There ya go again! Ya looked where ya was gonna hit!" Each of her unsuccessful hits were rewarded with a counter attack. A jab in the ribs, a kick to the knee, nothing that would cause damage but certainly enough to hurt. Mara stood up holding her side breathing heavily. She felt so incompetent, the only thing she was good at was getting herself into trouble. Gripping the bo she swung a particularly wide arc attempting to catch Raph's head. Reaching out he pulled the bo from her hands. Spinning it one hand he swept her feet out from under her. Mara landed hard on her back. Raphael stood over the top of her leaning slightly on her stolen weapon. He looked down sternly thinking for a moment before speaking.

"Ya know, ya gonna have ta do betta than this," he paused a moment before continuing, "That is if ya ever want ta stop being such a burden. I mean ya can't even go out of the lair without needin' us ta save ya. It's gettin kinda old."

Mara stared up at him with a hurt look. She felt embarrassing tears of frustration fleck on her cheek. He had confirmed her fears, she was a burden and even trying her hardest wasn't helping. She was always going to put her friends in danger and she just couldn't handle that. She swallowed hard trying to push back the tears. Standing up she turned away from Raph to hide her tears. Doing her best to keep her voice steady she when she spoke before leaving the training room quickly.

"I think I'm done for the day. Thanks...Raph"

Raphael stared after her. Guilt at what he had said washed over him in heavy waves. He didn't get it. He had seen her show a viscous terrifying side before. She had taken out two purple dragons... with a motorcycle helmet! He had seen her take on Hun...alone! He didn't understand why she was having such a problem with simple training! He had intended to spark her anger. Mara was a force to be reckoned with when angry. He wanted to show her that she was strong when angry, that she could have confidence in her abilities. He hadn't meant to hurt her, she was his friend. But thats exactly what he had done. _I'm such an idiot!_ Guilt still heavy on his shoulders he turned to the only thing that made himself feel better. His punching bag. No more than ten minutes later a raging Dinah entered the room. Grabbing a training bokken from the wall she hurled it at Raph. It smacked against his shell.

"You stupid, self centered, bull headed, jackass!" she shouted, punctuating each insult with a thrown weapon, "You called her a burden!?" Her voice was shrill with anger. Raphael winced at her accusing tone. He knew he was in trouble now, "What the fuck were you thinking!"

She landed a particularly sharp blow to his shoulder. He spun around blocking the onslaught of weapons being thrown at him.

"I was only tryin ta make her mad!" he shouted, "I thought if I did she'd you know... fight back," He ducked past another projectile, "It ain't my fault she turned inta little miss sensitive."

He felt his irritation at the situation growing. Dinah continued her attack, running out of weapons to fling she threw herself at Raph catching him off ground. The two of them tumbled down to the ground. Dinah straddled Raph and leaned over him until she was within inches of Raph's face. Her lips pulled back in a snarl.

"You're the dumbest man I've ever meet! So help me Raph! If you do not go and apologize in exactly five minutes I'll go to the nearest pet store and buy every God damn bug they have, " Her eyes were blazing pools of fire, "Then I'm going to come back here and let them loose in your room!!"

Die was practically quaking in anger. And Raph could feel her arms shaking with tension as her hands gripped his shoulders. He wouldn't be surprised if he actually got bruises from her grip.

"Ya? How are you going to open the boxes," Raph asked. He was afraid of bugs but so was Dinah and he knew it.

"I'll make Mikey do it!" Dinah screeched her raging look silenced any protest that had made its way to Raph's mind. She then pushed her self off him and stomped away.

* * *

 

Mara sat in her room. sketchbook and laptop open on her bed. The tears still trickled down her face but more in anger than anything else. Her pencil worked furiously across the paper, etching marks back and forth. She heard a quiet knock on the door frame. She quickly swiped the tears away.

"Come in," She said praying that her voice held no waver. Raph ducked into the doorway. He looked down at the ground. There was an awkward silence as she waited. She couldn't keep the snippiness from her words when she spoke and almost instantly she regretted her tone as her friend visibly winced, "Can I help you?" 

"I...I brought your bo back," Raph held up her weapon. He tried to give a friendly smile that looked more like a grimace. He was so uncomfortable with expressing his feelings... particularly to anyone who wasn't his brothers or Splinter. She meet his eyes with a look that still expressed hurt.

"You can leave it by the door I'll get it later," Breaking eye contact Mara returned to the furious mark making. She didn't want to talk to him now. Raphael set the weapon against the wall. He still stood there trying to find words that would fix the situation. _God Don or Leo would know what ta do,_ he thought bitterly to himself. He looked over his shoulder into the living room only to catch the death glare of Dinah. She stood arms crossed glaring at him. She silently mouthed the words pet store and he shuddered. She was nuts. Turning back to the room he cleared his throat.

"Look... I didn't mean ta call ya a burden," He stammered a bit trying to find the right words, "It's just...I've seen ya take on a lot. Ya can be down right scary some times, but ya lose it when ya train. Ya over think things and I thought that if I could make ya mad, ya could use it like I do."

Raph looked down at the floor as his words came out. Mara didn't look up but the pen had stopped moving. There was another long pause. Raph shifted his weight uncomfortably. He nearly paniced when her shoulders started to shake. _OH GOD SHE'S CRYING!! DIE IS GONNA KILL ME!_ Relief flooded him as he realized she was laughing.

"You really think I'm scary?" Mara laughed looking up at him. The hurt swimming behind her eyes was still there but had faded significantly. In its place was the normal Mara, a girl full of laughter and kindness.

"Hell yeah, I mean did ya see Hun's face when you hit him? I don't think his nose is evah gonna set right," Raphael felt a smirk broaden on his lips. He fixed her with an unusually soft look, "I really didn't mean the burden thing ya know, I am sorry."

Mara looked at her red masked friend and nodded, accepting his apology. Suddenly the world felt normal again. Raph let out a sigh and glanced at the black sketchbook in Mara's lap.

"Whatcha workin' on?" Raph asked making conversation to clear the air.

"Oh..." Mara shut the book slightly looking a little embarrassed, "Just a little sketch nothing you'd be interested in." She gave him a crooked smile. Something was odd about the look caused Raph to push more.

"Come on ya can show me. I probably seen worse, you ain't seen some of Mikey's comic books," He waited for her to show him. He leaned in the doorway in his _I'm not leaving till I get what I want look_ Mara bit her lower lip thinking before slowly opening the pages of her sketchbook to show Raph. The pages depicted a highly detailed image of an extraneously large black spider holding a sketched Raphael in it's front legs as it wrapped a cocoon of silk around him. Raphael's eyes grew wide and he swallowed hard. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought.

"Did I mention how scary ya can be?"

 


	19. Die Shall not ask Who Died and Made Leo King(SAINW)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This particular chapter takes place in the Same as it Never Was universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- Season 3 Episode 21-Same as it Never Was  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

Leonardo sat up with a scream on his lips. He blinked around his darkened room and buried his face in his hands. He wanted to stand up and rush to his father’s room and reassure himself that it was all a dream but he knew it wasn’t. He knew rushing into the empty room would do nothing. It hadn’t for the past month. No matter who rushed into the room it was always the same. Nothing could bring Splinter back from the dead and his children need to accept it.

“Leo,” The quite voice coming from his door way caused Leo to glance up. His blue eyes met the blue eyes of Mara who stood in his door way looking lost and alone, “I can’t find Don…”

* * *

 

The scream echoed through the lair breaking off into a broken sob. Dinah covered her ears and buried her head between her knees curling up tightly a silent sob escaping her, echoing the louder one shaking the walls of their living quarters. No one called the lair home any longer. It stopped being home when Master Splinter died saving them all and lost any chance of ever becoming one again when Donatello left with no word.

Maralyn flinched at the sounds her orange banded friend made as she wrapped his stump of an arm in bandages as gently as she could. Donatello was the healer of the family. She could help but this was far too serious for her. She was sure Michelangelo would heal but…he’d lost his arm and as his blue eyes stared out Mara feared he was losing more than that. She heard the banging of the lair door as the other two brothers came charging in.

“What happened,” Leonardo demanded stopping dead in his tracks as Raphael crashed into him. They barely stayed standing as they stared at their injured younger brother. He seemed to offer a crooked smile with his mouth as he struggled to regain control of his breathing.

“I’ll be fine,” Mikey tried to reassure his brothers but his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“What happened,” Leo repeated softly with a slight tremor shaking his body.

“Well, Die and I…we were out like you told us to and we,” Mikey started but he closed his eyes and hissed while Mara looked up at him apologetically pulling the bandage tighter.

“My fault,” Dinah’s voice was shaky and barely audible from where she had it buried between her knees. Her arms wrapped tightly around her arms holding her legs tightly against her body, “My fault…all my fault. I wasn’t…wasn’t strong enough, I couldn’t keep up. There were so many of them…I…I…”

Leo stared down at the shaking human on the couch as she broke off into sobs. He closed his eyes and choked back his own emotions. He didn’t need to hear more to know that it was Karai and the foot. Mikey and Dinah had been sent to find Leatherhead. They hadn’t heard from their friend in weeks and they were all worried while Raph and Leo had gone to do a patrol on the surface. The foot must have found them in the tunnels. They were falling apart as a family, Leo knew it was his job to keep them together, he was the leader, but…he realized with a sinking sensation he was failing.

* * *

 

“I’m the leader,” Leo’s voice was harsh as he snapped at the blonde. After Mikey lost his arm it had taken time for Dinah to stop being withdrawn and blaming herself. But the experience turned her into a harsher and angrier person than she was before. It was not uncommon for her and Leo to have fights and arguments two to three times a day at least, “My say is final!”

“Oh great and noble Leader,” Dinah spat leaning in front of him, “You must know all. Your plans don’t always work out either Leo! Just listen to Raph and me on this one!”

“No! It’s a dangerous and stupid idea! And you both know it!”

“Who died and made you boss Leo,” Dinah snarled viciously, Maralyn laid a hand on her friend’s shoulder knowing her sister was about to step too far but not knowing how to stop it when her hand was shaken off, “Maybe if you were a better leader Donnie would still be here! Mikey wouldn’t have gotten hurt because you would have known neither Mara nor I were ready  to be sent into actual combat,” Dinah leaned closer to Leo as she snarled more savagely with each word, “If you were a better leader Master Splinter would still be alive…”

“Shut up,” Leo’s yell echoed of the walls as he stood up from his seat sending his wooden chair skidding across the floor as he glared down at the woman. Her words echoed his own doubts too closely and he wasn’t ready to face that yet. Instead he let anger rule over his thoughts and words, “Leave. Leave now you little arrogant bitch. I _NEVER_ want to see you again. Ever!”

The two stood glaring at each other anger rolling off both of them in waves as three pairs of eyes stared at them stunned. Finally Dinah sneered at him before turning on her heel and grabbing her Umbreon hoodie from the tattered couch. When she reached the lair’s entrance she tossed her shell cell over her shoulder before disappearing into the dark.

Leo couldn’t meet the eyes of his sister or brothers as he picked up his chair and sank back down burying his face in his hands. _“If Master Splinter was still here,”_ he thought miserably as he heard the lair door shut behind someone, _“He would be beyond disappointed in me.”_

* * *

 

It took three days for the three turtles to find a sign of their missing human friends. What they found made them all sink to their knees. What was once Maralyn, the kind gentle friend, lay broken and still beneath the clam sky. Clutched closely in her hands was a bloody black and golden hoodie the three would recognize anywhere. They watched as blood bubbled on their friend’s mouth as she took her last breath.

“Well,” Raphael’s voice cracked as he stood up shakily and began to walk away, “You never have to see her again now…and I think I’ll take that advice as well.”


	20. Die will not put Bugs in Raph's Punching Bag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

“Mikey,” Leo said entering the living room and looking around. His brother sat on the couch and appeared to be pouting, “Where’s Dinah?”

“She left,” Mikey grumbled crossing his arms and glaring at the TV, “She went to get Pizza and she left me!”

“Oh for the love of,” Leo rolled his eyes and walked towards his room. When Dinah walked into him, he barely managed to catch her. She had pizza boxes piled high in her arms with bags hanging from both of them. Leonardo narrowed his eyes at the pile of boxes, taking off the top few boxes so the blonde could see over them as they walked toward the kitchen, “What’s in the bags?”

“Nothing you need to worry about oh fearless leader,” Dinah said with a slight smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. Leo gulped slightly and glanced at the simple bags when she added, “At least not yet.”

* * *

 

“Oh come on,” Raph exclaimed when Dinah pulled the pizza box he’d reached for away glaring darkly at him, “Mara’s forgiven me! It was her feelings I hurt not yours! Let it go already!”

“Dinah,” Mara said warningly as she bit into her own slice of pizza, “Let Raphie have Pizza.”

“Fine,” Dinah growled as she shoved the box back at the turtle. Raph smiled cockily at the blonde as he opened the pizza box. Dinah’s laugh was anything but nice when Raph let out a yelp like scream and jumped back tripping over his own feet and landing on his shell. Mikey pulled the lid of the pizza box back further revealing a large plastic spider sitting in the center of the pizza.

* * *

 

“What did you do,” Raph asked as Dinah walked out of the dojo with two empty plastic bags. Die looked at Raph and cocked a slight grin. She simply shrugged and pushed past the giant turtle walking towards the living room calling for Mikey to set up some game. Raph glared and cautiously walked into the dojo. For the past week every time he turned around he was being assaulted by plastic bugs. They would drop out of buckets rigged with pulleys, they would be hidden in his bed, and a couple times Dinah had even baked them into cake after decorating a cake with them. Looking around cautiously Raph saw nothing out of place, noting to set off any alarms, there was nothing to make him worry other than Dinah leaving the dojo. With a sigh Raph walked over to his punching bag and began to throw punches. It felt a little weird to Raph and he grabbed his punching bag, stopping the swinging bag, he cautiously reached for the zipper of the bag and pulled it down.

The scream that echoed through the lair had three turtles, a rat and a human rushing to the dojo. Dinah casually approached her stunned family at the dojo’s entrance as screams continued to echo through the lair. Dinah leaned against the door way and watched with a smug smirk as the hot headed turtle tripped over his own feet and threw his sais around trying to kill the bugs pouring from the punching bag.

“Where did you get that many plastic bugs,” Leo asked looking at the grinning human.


	21. Die Will Not Be Thrown From Buildings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended but not required episodes Season 1 Episode 20 The Monster Hunter
> 
> TMNT Doesn't belong to us
> 
> Mara and Die do

 Dinah sprinted down the street only aware of her feet pounding on the asphalt. heavy drops of cold water raced down her face as she shot a wild look behind her. _It's still following us!!_ she screamed in her head. She was fast but the creature behind her was keeping a steady pace. Not to mention Mara was not one for running. Mara's heavy breath told Die that she wouldn't be able to keep up much longer. They had to find a place to hide. Snatching Mara's wrist Die directed them into a side alley. _SHIT THERE'S NO PLACE TO HIDE!!_ Panic pounded in her head as her eyes swept over the empty alley way. The scuffling footfalls of their pursuer grew louder, causing shivers of fear and panic to shoot through the two human girls. At worst it was one of Bishop's creatures, a left over mutant that would certainly rip them limb from limb, at best...well it would still rip them limb from limb.

"We...we have... we have to go up!" Mara gasped as she pointed to the fire escape of the building. Dinah's eyes grew wide, she hated heights. Dinah ran through other options, they could stay here and fight, or try and keep running, neither of these seemed plausible. It was then that a twisted dark shadow crept over the two frightened humans. The large creature stood silhouetted against the light of the street lamps. Grunts and gurgled noises echoed off the walls around them.

"Ok we go up!"

Dinah leapt up the fire escape looking back only to see that Mara had made it up. Their escape didn't last long however as the creature stalked down below seeming to figure out how to follow. Mara stared down frozen in fear as the large monster began its ascension. Dinah grabbed Mara's arm pulling her away from their nightmare. The two girls raced toward a storage unit on the other side of the roof. The two humans breathed a sigh of relief as they found the door unlocked. Throwing the door open Dinah shoved Mara in before shutting the door behind herself. Neither of them breathed. A heavy thump was heard as the creature landed on the roof. Haunting growls and huffing told the girls that he was still on the other side of the roof...but was growing closer.

Mara mimicked dialing a cell phone in the silence of their hiding spot. Jamming her had into her pocket Die extracted her shell cell. Hands shaking she held down the 5 key, Mikey's name flashed across the screen. The call rang incredibly loud, once, twice, a third time. Mara and Dinah prayed, hoping that their unwanted follower wouldn't hear.

"Yo My Human! Whatsuuuup!!" Both girls flinched as Mikey's voice shouted through the phone. Dinah covered the speaker to muffle the sound. The monster outside was still searching. "Dudettes?...Hello!"

Dinah hissed into the phone, keeping her voice to a whisper.

"Mikey! we need help!! Somethings after us and if you don't keep it down we are both going to be monster chow!"

"Right, Don can track you with your cell... Just hang on we'll be there." Mikey's voice was unusually serious. Dinah felt a slight sense of relief knowing her friends were on their way. They just had to wait it out. She hung up the call and looked at Mara who had the same terrified look. The monster had grown quiet. Eyes growing wide Dinah realized...the monster had grown quiet. There was no growls or gasping breaths, no shuffling feet, no sign of the monster. Perhaps he gave up? The thought was barely in her mind before the door of the unit was ripped from it's hinges. Mara's screams mixed with the roar of the dark creature. Die lashed out with a kick to the creature's chest sending it stumbling backward. Dinah saw their chance and pulled Mara along as she raced to the fire escape. Screeching cry's of the monster told her that it was close behind, stop now and it would catch them. _Just a few more feet to the fire escape!_ Dinah willed her tired legs to run. Mara let out a yelp as her ankle buckled and she landed hard on the roof.

"Nooo!" Dinah shouted as she turned to protect her friend. Recalling her training she readied herself to fight. Swinging her arm out in a right hook aimed at her attacker. The monster reached a fur covered limb out to snatch the punch out of the air. Hoisting Dinah up it lifted her above its head, letting out a low growl. An ear splitting scream shook the night as Dinah watched the roof disappear and the ground approach. Hands covered her eyes as she waited for the ground to meet her body in a force that would surely kill her. Then gravity suddenly stopped. She was still screaming but no longer was she falling. Confusion swarmed her mind...she forced herself to look through her fingers. Mikey's childish grin greeted her.

"Mikey! Mikey... that thing... it has Mara!" She sputtered as her body shook in fear. She struggled to be put down... her feet had to touch something solid. Mikey slowly put her down. Tears of laughter were streaming down his face. "What the hell is your problem!! I SAID THAT THING HAS MARA!" This reaction seemed to cause Michelangelo to laugh harder. Words choked by laughter, all he could do was point to the roof. Looking up Dinah saw the monster leaning on the edge of the building. Only now with the hood pulled back did she realize that it was Raphael, wearing Mikey's old green man costume. Both he and Mara shared in a high five.

"I said I was sorry about the BIKE!!!" Dinah shouted eyes narrowing as she fully realized the situation.

"This ain't about tha bike! This is for tha punchin' bag!" Raph shouted back down still quaking with laughter. Mara's cackling caught Die's attention. She might have deserved the prank from Raph... but certainly not Mara. Fixing her friend with a death glare saved for the likes of Karai she shouted before turning to stalk away.

"You can kiss your paintbrushes goodbye bitch!!!"


	22. Die will not hide Mara's Art Supplies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

 “Do you want me to say it, fine! From the deepest darkest part of my heart I AM SORRY,” Mara begged the blonde on the couch who simply lifted her hand holding the remote and changed the channel. This had been going on for a couple days now, Dinah was not talking or acknowledging Mara in anyway and it was driving her friend up the wall and they both knew it. Mara finally threw her arms into the air with a frustrated yell, “You are such a giant child!”

As Mara stormed out of the lair she failed to see the smirk gracing Die’s lips or the orange clad turtle who threw himself onto the couch next to her holding out a bag. Dinah asked calmly, “Is it all of them?”

“Yes,” Mikey said looking at his friend pleadingly, “You forgive me now?”

“Yeah, Mikey,” Dinah said standing up patting him on the shoulder before she walked away. Mike watched her walk away as she called over her shoulder, “We’re good.”

* * *

 

Dinah was in the kitchen when Mara returned. She was humming various Disney tunes. She had a bowl in one hand and was viciously beating the mixture with a whisk in the other hand. Mara looked at her friend leaning against the doorway. Mara was trying to decide how to get the queen of the silent treatment to cave and begin talking to her again when Dinah’s voice startled her.

“Toss me the food coloring in the bag on the table.”

“You’re talking to me again,” Mara asked excitedly as she handed the bag over to her friend.

“Yep,” Dinah’s voice was chipper and happy as she poured green food coloring into the gooey substance but the smile sent to Mara made the older girl pause. Dinah returned to her baking while Mara slowly backed out of the kitchen.

* * *

 

“DINAH,” Mara’s scream echoed through the lair as she stormed up to her friend who just blinked at her, “Where are they!?”

“I’m sorry,” Dinah said tipping her head slightly, “Where are what?”

“MY PAINT BRUSHES,” Mara screeched in her friend’s face, “I KNOW YOU DID SOMETHING WITH THEM! NOW WHERE ARE THEY!?”

“If they were up your ass you’d know,” Die said with her cat-that-ate-the-canary smirk as she walked away.

"If they were up my ass I'd have a right to know," Mara screamed at Die.

"That's your opinion," Die called over her shoulder as Mara let out a frustrated yell but it had no effect on the retreating blonde.

* * *

 “How long is this going to go on,” Leo asked the blonde leaning against the counter. They both watched as Mara cheered after finding another paintbrush. For the past three days Die had been leaving clues around for Mara to find her paintbrushes, one at a time.

“Have you seen how many paint brushes she has,” Dinah asked sipping her soda, “I figure I’ve got at least a week’s worth of entertainment here.”


	23. Die will not change Raph’s workout music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.
> 
> The song Gaston belongs to Disney, it is borrowed to torment fictional characters.

Everyone else was taking the day off, Donnie and Mara were in the lab, Leo was meditating with Master Splinter, while Die and Mikey were setting up a marathon of classic horror movies. Raph ignored them all as he entered the dojo ready to spend some time working out. He walked over to the speakers Dinah had set up, despite Master Splinter’s protests, to plug in his Ipod. He hit play but froze when he heard the song. Raph was so shocked he listened to the whole song before going to try and change it-

_“_ _Who does she think she is?_

_That girl has tangled with the wrong man!_

_Darn right._

_No one says "no" to Gaston!_

_Dismissed! Rejected!_

_Publicly humiliated! Why, it's more than he can bear._

_More beer?_

_What for? Nothing helps. He’s disgraced._

_Who, him? Never! Raph has  got to pull himself together._

_Gosh it disturbs me to see you, Rapheal_

_Looking so down in the dumps_

_Ev'ry Turtle here'd love to be you, Raph_

_Even when taking your lumps_

_There's no turtle in town as admired as you_

_You're ev'ryone's favorite guy_

_Ev'ryone's awed and inspired by you_

_And it's not very hard to see why_

_No one's slick as Raph_

_No one's quick as Rapheal_

_No one's head’s as incredibly thick as Raph’s_

_For there's no turtle in town half as manly_

_Perfect, a pure paragon!_

_You can ask any Leo, Don or Mikey_

_And they'll tell you whose team they prefer to be on_

_No one's been like Raph_

_A king pin like Raph_

_No one's got a swell cleft in his chin like Raph_

_As a specimen, yes, he’s intimidating!_

_My what a guy, that Raphael!_

_Give five "hurrahs!"_

_Give twelve "hip-hips!"_

_Raph is the best_

_And the rest is all drips_

_No one fights like Raph_

_Douses lights like Raph_

_In a wrestling match nobody bites like Raphael!_

_For there's no one as burly and brawny_

_As you see he’s got biceps to spare_

_Not a bit of him's scraggly or scrawny_

_That's right!_

_And ev'ry last inch of him’s covered with scales!_

_No one hits like Raph_

_Matches wits like Raph_

_In a spitting match nobody spits like Raph_

_He’s espcially good at expectorating!_

_Ptoooie!_

_Ten points for Raphael!_

_When he was a hatchling he ate four dozen eggs_

_Ev'ry morning to help him get large_

_And now that he’s grown he eat five dozen eggs_

_So he’s roughly the size of a barge!_

_Oh, ahhh, wow!_

_My what a guy, that Raph!_

_No one shoots like Raph_

_Makes those beauts like Raph_

_Then goes tromping around wearing boots like Raph_

_He use antlers in all of his decorating!_

_My what a guy,_

_Raphael!”_

* * *

 

“DINAH,” The yell echoed through the lair but no one even flinched. Raph stormed out of the dojo to the living room with his Ipod clutched in his hand. He stood between the two on the couch and the TV glaring at the girl, “What did you do to my music?!”

“Hmmm,” Die blinked at the angry turtle before shrugging, “I used a sound editing program to edit one of my favorite songs then I put it on your Ipod and got rid of everything else on it. Now move we’re trying to watch a movie.”

“Why” Raph growled standing over the blonde with his fist clenched.

“You dropped me off a building,” Dinah said glaring up into green eyes.

“Mikey helped! What have you done to him?!”

“She loves me,” Mikey said throwing an arm around her shoulders and resting his head on hers, “Plus I helped with the paintbrush thing.”

“Now scram Bowser,” Dinah said, “We’ve got movies to watch.

* * *

Raph stomped into the lab towards a computer muttering under his breath. He pulled out the Ipod plug and plugged his into the computer. Mara glanced over at Raph and blinked but Donnie kept working on their projects as if he knew Raph would be coming into the lab in a foul mood. After finding his music folder Raph attempted to remove the song on it and add is own back but a box popped up with a digitalized version of his younger brother shaking his finger at Raph-

“Uh-uh-uh you didn’t say the magic word Raphie-boy,” Mikey’s voice drifted from the computer speakers over and over. Raph blinked at the computer screen for a moment before turning to Don and Mara.

“She couldn’t have done this alone,” Raph’s voice growled to them, Mara blinked in clear confusion but Donnie didn’t even glance at his brother, “Why would you help her Don?”

“Because,” Don turned to look into his brother’s eyes, “She said she would forgive me for the whole experiment prank if I did,” Don then turned back to his project before muttering just loud enough to be heard, “And quite honestly I’m more afraid of her than you.”


	24. Die will not Lose her Temper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended episodes- None  
> TMNT and all associated does not belong to us. Dinah and Maralyn do.

Dinah stretched her arms over her head as she walked into the dojo a large yawn escaping her mouth causing her to shake slightly. Shakeing her head she glanced around at the four turtles, rat, and other human girl already up. Dinah rubbed her eyes in an attempt to get the sleep out of them.

“If you’d join us for meditation,” Leo started in his leader voice.

“I’d be up that much earlier,” Dinah said popping her fingers as she stretched again shooting a glare at him, “So don’t start that again.”

“You’re still going to come to the gallery opening with me and the guys right,” Mara cut in picking up her and Dinah’s bo staffs they were being trained with. Die was right about one thing, it was too early for her and Leo to start arguing.

“That’s the plan,” Dinah said catching the weapon tossed at her. She hated being up this early but training started early and she was really tired of being a damsel in distress. She had never been able to relate to the princesses needing some prince to come to rescue them, she’d always been the one to become covered in dirt and grim to do something herself than ask for help.

“Yay,” Mara said smiling at her friend before turning to spar with Raph who twirled his sais.

“I call Dinah as my partner,” Mikey exclaimed but a purple wrapped bo staff stopped him from reaching his friend.

“I don’t think so,” Donnie said eyeing his brother, “When you two spar, you spend more time playing and goofing off than sparing…I don’t feel like spending extra time training today because you two can’t focus today. You’re with me bro.”

“Come along Dinah,” Leo said drawing his katanas. Dinah groaned before turning to face the blue eyed turtle. She hated sparing with Leo, he was too focused on perfection. But Donnie was right when she spared with Mikey they goofed off more often than not and Donnie pulled his punches to avoid hurting either human when he spared with them.

“I get Raph next time,” Die called to Mara as she swung at Leo trying to tune out what he was telling her about what she was doing wrong before sending her sprawling to the ground.

* * *

 

“What cha doing,” Mikey said bounding into the kitchen and throwing his arms over the shoulders of his blonde friend standing at the stove stirring something with quick flicks of her wrist.

“Mixing this,” Dinah replied turning slightly to hide the bowl from Mikey with a wicked look in her eyes.

“What is it what is it,” Mikey bounced on his toes trying to see into the bowl. That was the best thing about having Dinah and Leonardo spar. She would always bake something afterwards. She said it was relaxing and kept her from doing something drastic to the turtle…like impaling him with his own katana. Die had always found cooking to be calming but baking was by far the best way to calm herself when she wanted nothing more than to blow off steam.

“Okay okay,” Dinah said laughing as Mikey began to tickle her for not telling him, “I give! I give! It’s going to be angel food cake when I’m done. I figure we can grab strawberries while we’re out tonight.”

* * *

 

“I’m bored,” Mikey said leaning against his older brother. Donnie shoved the youngest turtle off him. The gallery opening was fun and they had all enjoyed themselves. Leo and Raph leaned against the alley wall while Mikey and Donnie talked. They were all waiting for Dinah and Maralyn to get back, they’d gone into the store just around the corner. The sound of gravel crunching alerted the four of the approaching people.

“Damn it,” Leo glared at the alley entrance ready to lecture Die and Mara, “Those two never listen when…”

Leo’s voice trailed off as he and his brothers drew their weapons. Bishop stood in front of the turtles with a dozen or so agents at his back. With a movement barely noticeable the five agents rushed the turtles and the fight began.

A gasp drew Bishop’s attention to the girl shrinking against the wall with wide eyes. Mara and Dinah had been just around the corner when they heard the telltale sounds of a fight. They had quickly rounded the corner but upon seeing the mirrored glasses on Agent Bishop Mara had forgotten everything they had trained on, all she could remember was the fear of her world closing in on her.

“Maralyn,” Bishop said smiling viciously as he started towards the woman, “We meet again.”

“Back off asshole,” Dinah’s voice was firm followed by the sound of breaking glass. Bishop stopped and stared at the small blonde woman standing between him and her friend. In her hand was the neck of a broken glass bottle with the body laying against her forearm. Bishop’s smile widened at the sight. With a subtle hand gesture one of his agents broke away from the turtle fight and started towards the girls. One of the turtles yelled for the girls to run but it was unclear which one.

Mara began to hyperventilate as her memories assaulted her. She was unaware of anything around her. Dinah on the other hand was very aware of what was going on. Their friends were beating back the agents but not fast enough and her best friend was slipping into a panic attack. Her blood pounded in her ears and red danced around the edge of her vision. This was the man that had _Tortured_ her best friend. And he was going to send some goon to do his dirty work.

“I don’t fucking think so,” Dinah whispered as her vision began to fade into a red haze. _“If you have to use a broken bottle as weapon never use it as a stabbing weapon. You’ll only hurt yourself. Slash with it.”_ The voice of her stepfather echoed in her head as Dinah sliced the agents arm with the broken bottle. The agent yelped and jumped away from her but she followed throwing her closed but empty fist into his throat. She repeated the words echoing in her head out loud, “If they can’t breathe they can’t fight.”

Bishop felt shock though he would be damned if he let it show when the blonde took down his agent and turned her angry blue eyes on him. He had done research and he knew she was the one constantly needing to be rescued by the turtles. Bishop glanced at the turtles’ fight to see the last of his agents fall. His lips pinched in annoyance as three turtles turned to him and the forth ran to Maralyn. There was a strange yell and that was his only warning before he was having to block and defend himself from the blonde. Bishop landed hits on the blonde and was satisfied to hear the sounds of bones cracking and breaking, spotting the turtles rushing him he swung his foot around and sent the blonde flying into them sending all four beings to the ground.

“I’ll kill you,” Dinah screamed rushing the man again. Bishop didn’t think twice about pulling the gun then the trigger. Dinah’s body jerked slightly when a bullet pierced her shoulder but she continued her charge. All she could see was Bishop in the red haze, all she could feel was the blinding rage for what this man had done to her best friend then the satisfying crunch as her fist connected with his face sending his glasses flying. When her body collided with his knocking the stunned agent off his feet his gun skated away from them and her fists continued to rain down on him.

* * *

 

Donnie shook Mara trying desperately to get her to snap out of it. Watching Dinah take down one of Bishop’s agents was shocking but when she charged the glasses wearing agent he realized they may have a problem. He was vaguely aware of Dinah being thrown into his brothers and them all tumbling to the ground but his focus was solely on his panicked friend.

“Come on Mara,” Donnie begged. The sounds of gun fire caused him to tense and flinch slightly. He glanced over his shoulder to see Dinah charging Bishop who still held the gun leveled on her. But the gun shots seemed to get through to Mara who blinked at Donnie in confusion as she tried to calm her breathing before she followed his line of vision.

“Die,” She whispered as the sight of her bloodied friend throwing punch after punch at what she had pinned beneath her. There was blood everywhere. Mara could see it flowing from a messy exit wound on her shoulder down her back. Could see blood leaking from her friend’s mouth as she twisted with her punches, throwing her whole weight behind each one. She could see blood flying from her friend’s fists when she pulled them back and when they connected with whoever was under her. Mara had never truly been frightened of her friend before nor was she now, but she was terrified for her friend, “Dinah! Dinah Stop!”

“Mara,” Donnie’s yell barely registered as Mara avoided his grasp to run up behind her friend and grab her arms. Dinah let out a frustrated yell as Mara struggled to pull her away from the man. Once she got to her feet Dinah stopped trying to twist her arms out of Mara’s grasp and instead resorted to kicking the downed man, the sickening sound of bones breaking echoed through the dark alley.

“Dinah stop,” Mara cried. Her best friend was killing Bishop. Mara had only seen her friend truly angry a few times but never like this before, “Don’t! Don’t sink to his level!”

Mara stumbled as her friend turned into nothing but dead weight in her arms. The sounds of sirens approached quickly. She pushed Leo and Donnie away when they tried to take Dinah from her arms. Glancing at the alley exit she insisted they go. She would take care of the cops and get Dinah to the hospital. Though reluctant the turtles knew Dinah need more medical attention than Donnie could give so the disappeared as the first spot light lit up the alley.

* * *

 

Three hours later Mara sat next to the hospital bed holding the bandaged hand of her best friend. She had fought tooth and nail for the hospital to allow her to stay with her friend. The phone calls with Dinah’s parents had been a test to her patience. They would all be here within the week to assure themselves that Dinah was indeed alive. That visit promised to be stress filled. Mara thanked her lucky stars that while they lived in the lair the two of them had kept their apartment for appearances. Then there were the cops. She didn’t know how many times she had repeated that she didn’t know why Bishop and his men had attacked them nor did she see who took out all the men because it was too dark. But now all was quiet but the beeping machine that assured her that her friend was still alive.

“How is she,” it was a testament to how exhausted she was that she didn’t notice the opening window letting in four turtles, nor did she jump when a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder. Mara blinked into four pairs of worried eyes before rubbing her own.

“She’s alive. The bullet missed anything that would cause serious issues, barely. She’s got broken bones, bruising everywhere, but she’s alive. I talked with her parents,” Mara said leaning back in her chair and staring at the roof, “They should all be here sometime this next week.”

“We’ll keep a close eye on your apartment then,” Leo spoke softly, always the voice of reason.

“Thank you,” Mara paused for a moment before looking back down to her highly drugged friend, “When she’s released from the hospital though…I’m gonna kill her. Then her parents can too.”


	25. Die shall not "hide" guy friends.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended episodes - none 
> 
> As usual TMNT doesn't belong to us 
> 
> Mara and Die do

The lair was unusually quiet. The lack of noise stemmed from the lack of humans. The human girls who's presence had become so permanent were nowhere to be found. 

A business trip to discuss a graphic novel deal had pulled Mara to San Francisco, and Die was still living at the girl's apartment. After her fight with Bishop her parents had come to New York to aid in her recovery. Die was almost fully healed but her parents had yet to leave this meant that until they did she had very little time to be at the lair. All the turtles and Master Splinter agreed that their absence was unsettling.

The relative peace of the lair was shattered when a screaming Michelangelo barreled through the entrance.

"Dudes! DUDES WE GOT A PROBLEM!!!" His screams elicited the battle ready reactions of three turtles. His brothers stood before him each holding their weapon of choice.

"Michelangelo, my son! What is the matter?" Master splinter emerged from his room to look over his orange clad son with urgent concern. The young terrapin tried to catch his breath, his story coming out in small bursts.

"Chinese place on third...and grand...its Die..."

"What! What about Die?"

"Is she hurt?"

"Is it Hun?" Questions spilled from his brothers in a flourish. It would not be the first time that one of their enemies had attempted to end their friend's life. Shaking his head Mikey tried to finish his sentence."

"No!! No... it's worse, much worse!!"

"MIKEY! What happened to Die!!" Leo grabbed his youngest brother by the shoulders practically shaking him. Leo felt his throat tighten with anxiety as Mikey looked at him with tear filled eyes.

"...She's engaged!!"

Silence fell over the lair. With a heavy sigh Leo released his brother. Looks of utter confusion washed over the odd family. Raphael was the first one to speak.

"You... uh... wanna run that by us again?"

"I told you! She's engaged, I was on my way to the new skate park that just opened up, when I thought that I would stop by and check on Die. Only she wasn't at her apartment. Her parents were there but she wasn't. I got kinda worried so I just started checking restaurants and store fronts.... discretely," Mikey added the last part quickly before Leo could lecture, "I finally found her at a Chinese restaurant...with a boy... I was about to leave... when...when he pulled a ring out and gave it to her all proposal style."

His voice cracked slightly towards the end of his story. All eyes looked stunned in response to the story.

"Die... you're telling me that Dinah is engaged?" Donnie's voice echoed the pure disbelief of the room. 

"Mikey, I don't understand why you are so upset?" Leo asked his brother who looked too much, like a child who just found out that Santa wasn't real.

"Ya, ain't no way that _our_ Dinah accepted any ring. The guy would be in pieces," Raphael added as he turned to head to the Dojo.

"No, you guys don't understand, he gave her the ring and I waited for her to hit him or something but instead she...hugged him... on a scale of action to chic flick it was level _The Proposal_ ," Raphael froze in his tracks as Mikey continued to spew his story, "I'm upset because why would she hide him from us? Plus if she gets married... "

His voice trailed off leaving his sentence unfinished. He didn't have to, the thought _she will leave us_ was already on everyone's mind. A mixed wave of hurt and confusion washed over the family. After a moment Splinter reached out and placed a hand gently on Mikey's shoulder.

"My son, I know change is hard, but fighting the waves will do nothing to change the tide. I know not why Dinah has chosen to hide her relationship from us but it is not our place to ask why," He gave his son's shoulder a squeeze before turning to shuffle back to his room.

"He's right you know, we should let her make her own decisions," Leo stated solemnly before he and Don returned to their previous activities. This left no one around to see the look shared between Raphael and Michelangelo.

* * *

 

Two days went by and everyone managed to keep their new information a secret from Die, hoping that she instead would mention it. She never did, this caused more concern with the turtles. With the chaos of what happened with Bishop the turtles had been keeping a watchful eye on the girls' apartment. Tonight was no different, Raph and Mikey sat on the roof of the building adjacent to the apartment. Both wore a pair of Don's night vision goggles. There was movement from the front of the building, a guy around Dinah and Mara's age exited the building whistling and carrying a bag.

"That's the guy with the ring!" Mikey pointed, practically dancing as the guy walked down the street. Both turtles looked to each other before silently following. Jumping roof top to roof top, staying in the shadows as they trailed their unsuspecting quarry. Several blocks later found the trio at the same Chinese restaurant that Mikey had seen the proposal at. Entering the restaurant the kid found a seat in a window booth. Moments later a pretty woman found the seat opposite him. She greeted him with a kiss to the lips before sitting down. Mikey and Raph shared a stern look before continuing their stake out.

Thirty minutes went by and there was no doubt that the couple was on a date. The woman would giggle and brush her hand against the man's, he would brush his foot against her leg. The turtles had seen enough, they obviously needed to tell Dinah that her possible fiance was cheating on her. As they stood to leave the scene in the window blossomed. The man sank down on one knee, slowly extracting a diamond ring that could easily be seen by the two uninvited guests above. Raph growled deeply.

"That slimy no good son of a bitch!"

"Not cool...not cool at all."

"I think we need ta pay mista two timer a visit." Raph popped his knuckles angrily as he watched the man slip the ring onto the woman's finger.

* * *

"Raphael! Michelangelo!! Get your asses out here now!" Die's shouts erupted through the Lair.

She had used their full names...there was no doubt that she was livid. The blonde stomped into the living room where she stood arms cross, foot tapping impatiently. Raph and Mikey dropped over the lair ledge to stand in front of Die. Raph mimicked Die's pose and crossed his arms protectively over his chest the picture of steely resolve. Mikey however was the picture of guilt as he came to sit on the couch not meeting Die's eyes. Awkward silence permeated the room as the two trouble makers waited for their friend to speak.

"What did you do?" Dinah's eyes drilled into her friends. When the turtles didn't reply she continued her interrogation, "I know Leo and Don wouldn't be so stupid, so it had to be you two," Still nothing, "Johnny called and told me he couldn't see me anymore... said that my 'family' had paid him a visit and delivered a 'warning'. He thinks I'm apart of the damn mob! Now I'll ask you again, what screw came lose in your thick heads that told you that this was acceptable?!"

Raph had heard enough, "Hey Dinah girl you should be thankin' us! That slime ball was out two timin your sorry ass. We saw him givin a shiny ring to another gal! So before ya start accusin us of ruin your relationship maybe ya should look more closely at mista perfect! He's lucky all I did was give him a black eye!"

"What are you talking about?" 

"Die, I saw him propose to you the other night... then Raph and I saw him propose to another girl at the same place he proposed to you! I'm sorry but that's not cool and you deserve much better," Mikey still looked guilty but now he was able to meet Die's eyes.

"Proposed...to me? You idiots!... that was Johnny, he's a friend from college! I help him occasionally with equations for his work. He was planning to propose to his girlfriend... and showed me the ring!" Mikey's eyes grew wide with understanding. He hadn't witnessed Die's secret proposal, but rather a friendly exchange. Waves of guilt washed over him and he looked down again.

"So, this means you won't be leaving us?" Die's anger evaporated, replaced by concerned confusion. She sank down beside Mikey, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Mikey, sometimes you can be a real idiot... No, I'm not leaving you. If I had a boyfriend I would be sure to inform all of you. Plus I can guarantee I won't be accepting any rings anytime soon," She laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder before standing back up, "Besides, Johnny is afraid of reptiles... and I could never date a guy who's afraid of turtles."


	26. Die will not taunt Leo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recomended/Required episodes- None
> 
> TMNT doesn't belong to us. Mara and Die do.

Though not completely healed from her brush with death Dinah and Maralyn were back home. It had taken some convincing but Die had finally convinced her parents she wasn’t going to roll over and die anytime soon. Her morbid humor in pointing out this wasn’t her first brush with death and wouldn’t be her last, though her father had made clear it had better be the last, helped her in convincing her parents to return home.  Her shoulder still hurt and she favored it every once in a while though she put forth an effort not to do so. Mara still watched her like a hawk, as did the turtles, but life was returning to normal.

“No,” Leo crossed his arms across his plastron and blue eyes glared at blue eyes. The other occupants in the dojo rolled their eyes as they paired up for sparing. This argument was old and they all had heard it before, “You’ll sit out until you’re fully healed. I’m done going through this with you, Dinah.”

“If you’re done with it then let me spar,” Dinah snarled in aggravation, “I’m not going to keel over any minute! I’m nearly back to normal!”

“No.”

“Leo! Please, I’m going out of my mind with boredom! All I do is sit and twiddle my thumbs anymore. I’ll beg if I have to,” The sound of a body hitting the ground caught everyone’s attention and the turned to see Dinah on her knees before a shocked turtle with her hands clasped in front of her looking up into the turtle’s eyes. Her face with the picture of hopeless begging even though her tone still had the sharp edge of sarcasm that was her trademark when dealing with the blue banded turtle, “Please? Leonardo, oh great and noble leader, oh all honorable one, please let the humble human that is I spar? I’ll spar with Donnie and not Raph, so the punches will be pulled.”

“Layin’ it on a bit think ain’t she,” Raph leaned over and whispered into Mara’s ear while Leo’s eye began to twitch slightly.

“Fine,” Leo finally growled out as Die leapt into the air with a cheer, “However, you’ll spar with me. And when I say you’re done, You. Will. Be. Done. No more arguing.”

“Whatever,” Dinah said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing as she grabbed her bo staff and faced the turtle who glared but swallowed his aggravation and prepared to spar with the human as the other turtles and human did the same.

* * *

 

Three days later Die was once again sparing with Leo. She had become more and more frustrated with him. She was will to accept the pulled punches, she knew her form would never please him and had long ago accepted the ridicule would be unavoidable, but he was calling the end long before she felt she was ready. Her should hurt yes but she was determined that she wasn’t done yet. Dinah had resorted to taunting the turtle both in and out of the dojo. It was creating a tense living environment for all in the lair. Mara had tried to talk Die out of her confrontational mood but all that had done is resulted in a screaming match. Everyone could see Die stomping on thin ice and even Master Splinter’s scolding did nothing to change her behavior. It wasn’t that she didn’t know what she was doing was wrong but she was so tired of being babied by all of her family, and Leo had made himself the easiest target for her rage. She could see anger flash in his eyes, outside of the dojo he would simply close his eyes and walk away, but inside the dojo, when they were sparing, he didn’t have that option. When his blows hit a little harder it gave Dinah some satisfaction in the proof she was getting to him. Die figured if she pushed the turtle far enough he’d let her have her way.

Today Master Splinter had left the dojo during the sparing matches, leaving Leonardo in charge of the training for that day while he watched his stories on the television. And Dinah was pushing Leo harder than she the previous days. She was taunting his leadership skills, watching his eyes and measuring his blows to know when she hit a nerve. When she found one she’d push harder and harder twisting the knife deeper and twisting. She preyed upon his own doubts and fears, everything in her power to get him riled. No one, especially the human and turtle involved, expected the final outcome though.

“You’re a failure,” Dinah leaned forward on her staff against the katanas. Her voice a low hiss just in front of Leo’s face, “And you know it. You’re going to fail to protect your family because you’re a failure as a leader. You’re going to cause everyone pain, if not their own death, because You. Are. A. Failure.”

“SHUT UP,” The yell that burst from Leo was followed by a scream of pain that while short, echoed through the lair. Leo stared in horror as the blonde knelt on the ground in front of him. She held her shoulder where Bishop had shot her. Fresh blood pooled between her fingers as shocked blue eyes looked up at him. Leo heard the voices of his brothers and Mara but couldn’t make out what they were saying as his katanas slipped from his numb fingers. One clean, one coated in fresh blood. They clattered to the floor but all Leo could do was stare wide eyed at Dinah on the ground, her eyes equally as wide.

“Leonardo,” Master Splinter’s voice finally broke through the haze of Leo’s internal denial, “What have you done?”

“I…I…I…,” Leo looked at Die as Donnie and Mara pulled her to her feet then down at his shaking hands, “I didn’t mean to…I just…I…”

“It’s fine,” Dinah’s voice brought the attention of nearly everyone in the room.

“No it’s not,” Mara’s voice was laced with anger, “He _STABBED_ you!”

“I’ve been provoking him for the past three days,” Dinah said with a roll of her eyes.

“He’s the leader,” Mara snapped, missing Dinah and Leo’s flinch, “He should have better control!”

“She’s right,” Leo’s voice was soft as he turned and left the dojo, then the lair. Dinah’s words echoing in his head.


	27. Die will fix it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Required/Recommended Episodes- None
> 
> TMNT doesn't belong to us, Mara and Die do.

It had been nearly a week and a half since Mara had forced Die to move back into their apartment with her. Three turtles watched the apartment discreetly but none dared to enter. Donatello had tried, but the older human was furious at everyone for her friend becoming injured again. While none had condoned Leo’s actions they all also acknowledged Dinah had been provoking him. Mara was the only one who didn’t see it that way and when Don had entered her apartment he was forced to make a hasty retreat as objects began to fly at him along with Mara’s yells. Dinah was tired of being locked up. She glared at her closed door before walking to the desk in the corner and scribbling a quick note on it. She folded the paper in half and sat it on her pillow where it would be easier to find. Then she quietly opened her bed room window and slipped out into the night and began to climb down.

“Dudette,” The voice caused her to jump slightly as she turned around only to be crushed in the embrace of the orange turtle, “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you to,” Dinah laughed slightly as she patted his back, “But I really need oxygen.”

“Hey,” Raph’s gravelly voice growled, “What about us?”

Dinah laughed as she slipped from Mikey’s grasp and hugged the other two turtles. She looked at the purple, red, and orange and questioned where their brother was. The three couldn’t make eye contact with her and shifted slightly from foot to foot. After a moment Donnie told her how Leo had been withdrawing from the entire family since the accident. That he didn’t even know his brothers were guarding the girls still, he wanted to cut them out completely. Leo had said it was safer for the girls not to associate with them.

“You guys stay here and guard Mara,” Dinah finally stated, “I’m going home. I can fix this.”

* * *

 

Master Splinter sat across their kitchen table from his oldest son. He’d tried to get through to the turtle but his son refused to listen. Master Splinter Studied his son who sat staring into his steaming tea cup. The rat’s ears twitched when he heard the lair door quietly open, his nose twitched as well when he caught a surprising but familiar sent. Standing the rat left the kitchen the turtle none the wiser. When he passed the one who had entered he laid a hand gently on their shoulder before pointing to the kitchen and retreating to his room.

Dinah watched the rat for a moment before entering the kitchen. She looked at the sight of the fearless leader slumped and emotionally broken staring at steaming tea, not even noticing her. Dinah walked up until she was directly behind him then leaned against him throwing her arms around him in a soft hug causing the turtle to jump.

“Dinah…” Leo’s voice was soft as if he hadn’t used it in a while, which according to his brothers he hadn’t. Die had her head on his shoulder as she stared at the tea he’d been staring at.

“You know…I’ve heard of people looking for answers in tea leaves but,” She shrugged and stood back taking the seat next to Leo and locking her blue eyes with his, “I’m pretty sure the answer can’t be found in the tea itself.”

“What are you doing here,” Leo finally broke the silence and the eye contact staring at the table in front of him.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Dinah said with a shrug, “And decided I wanted to come home.”

“Home?” Leo questioned then snorted, “This isn’t home.”

“Isn’t it?” Dinah asked raising an eye brow, “I’ve always been told home is where the heart is.”

“Well you should send it somewhere else,” Leo’s angrily turned on the human. He was inches from her face with a snarl, “This isn’t home. You’re just going to get hurt.”

“So,” Dinah deadpanned. She wasn’t impressed with his temper, especially when regret flashed in his eyes after his little rant.

“You should leave,” Leo sat down looking away in defeat again.

“Did Master Splinter tell you what I saw when we faced that fear eating land kraken,” Die’s voice was soft and serious. Leo looked up into her blue eyes and shook his head. He and his brothers had guessed their father had talked with the girls after that but hadn’t known what had happened. Dinah nodded and told Leo what she’d seen in her nightmare world.

“Why are you telling me this,” Leo asked blinking at her after she finished.

“Because I went too far,” Die said locking her eyes with his, “You’re an excellent leader Leonardo. You make mistakes. Everyone does. And I want you to realize what I said wasn’t the truth. I was lashing out and I shouldn’t have.”

“I stabbed you. I lost my temper and I could have…I could have,” Leo was shaking as he thought of the damage he could have done.

“Killed me,” Dinah stated unemotionally.

“Yes,” Leo whispered quietly. He flinched slightly when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“I understand that fear Leonardo. But you didn’t kill me. What you are doing right now is killing our family though,” When Leo looked up at her she offered a sad half smile, “We’re only a family if we are together. Even if one of us is missing we’re incomplete. I thought you’d have learned that by now.”

* * *

 

Mara turned from where she stood in the shadows and slowly walked with the other three turtles back to their bed rooms. She’d been furious when she’d entered the Dinah’s room at their apartment and found the note clutched in her hand still. But she figured if Die wasn’t going to hold it against Leo she shouldn’t either. He’d punish himself fine without her help. Mara glanced at the note one last time before tossing it into the trash can and climbing into bed.

_Mara,_

_I’m going home when you’re done being a bitch you should too._

_Dinah_

* * *

 

The next day found them all back in the dojo, Mara was squaring off with Raph, Donnie and Mikey were ready to go, and Dinah started walking towards the wall without being told to. The blonde human jumped back with wide eyes when a katana was suddenly blocking her path.

“You can’t learn from others’ mistakes,” Leo said repeating her words back to her with a small smile twitching at the corner of his mouth, “You have to make them yourself. You won’t make many yourself sitting on the wall away from your family.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Dinah said with a grin splitting her face getting ready to spar with Leo, “I won’t be making any mistakes.”

“Really,” Leo raised an eyebrow before moving quickly and knocking Die’s feet out from under her before she realized what happened. She stared up the katana at the smirking turtle. She narrowed her eyes as he began lecturing her on where she’d gone wrong when they stood up.


	28. Mara will not Mutate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended (but not required) Episodes - You should have seen the story arc "Good Genes" which is basically the last 5 episodes of season three.
> 
> TMNT is not ours Mara and Die are

"Any one heard from Mara yet?" Don's voice called from his lab. Poking his head out into the lair he waited for an answer. There was a collective _no_ from the rest of the group. Donatello frowned, it was unlike his friend to be late and not call. Rising up he snatched his shell cell from his work bench. An empty screen flashed as Don flipped it open. No message, something was off.

"Die, where did you say she was?" Donnie questioned. The blonde human standing in the kitchen, continued whisking her newest baking concoction as Mikey stood behind her waiting for the bowl.

"I told you Don, she's at her studio...the same place she's been every night for a week. She will be here soon, just running late. You know how she gets when she gets in the zone," Die placed the whisk on the counter, simultaneously swatting Mikey's hand as he snatched it. The two were off in a flurry of shouts and curses most of which emanated from Die. _She's probably right, the new comic deal has been stressful on her. She probably let time slip up on her._

Donatello still frowned as he glared at the cell phone, willing it to ring. He still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the situation. The past few months had been a stressful one for his family, between Mara being kidnapped by Bishop, Dinah being shot, and the incident with Leo there was stress on everyone. Because of these events Don had become increasingly protective of the two human girls, particularly Mara. Die was loud, obnoxious, and had made many enemies because of her mouth. But she was fierce, she could handle herself against most situations until help could arrive. But as the last run in with Bishop had proven Mara was a bit more fragile. She froze under pressure, unable to move, she made an easy target for one of their most clever enemies...Bishop. The Glasses wearing maniac would do anything to get what he wanted, and right now he wanted Donatello and his brothers. Dead or Alive, it didn't matter to the mad man.

"Donnie, ya got that look on your face again, ya thinkin' way too much bro. Mara's _FINE!_ She just needs a little space thats all," Raph's gravely voice broke Don's worried thoughts. The younger turtle wandered to the kitchen to check on Dinah's baking.

After the past month they had all felt a strain on their relationship with Mara. While not the one to hold grudges Mara had been changed by recent events in a way that affected her relationship with the turtles. They had noticed that she was spending more and more time at her studio, and at work. Sometimes the entire lair would be still before she would come home. Even if Donatello was still awake working tirelessly on a new project she was still hesitant to join him, when in the past there were entire nights spent helping him on new tech and gadgets. She still trained with them, but not as often and not as long. Die had assured everyone that Mara was merely trying to juggle new projects at work, but even she could tell something was off. Shaking his head to clear the troubling thoughts he returned to his lab. He would allow the quiet hum and noise of his tech to drown the nagging little voice that screamed _Something is VERY wrong!_ Hours passed quickly and soon darkness swallowed the city.

"Don? I'm starting to really worry about Mara," Die's unusually soft voice brought Don from his work. She leaned in the doorway of his lab, the image of collected coolness. But when his eyes meet her blue ones he saw nothing but a worried friend. His fingers began moving swiftly as he entered command codes.

"All right, I'll track her phone, give me a moment."

 

* * *

 

Mikey ran along side Dinah as they headed to Mara's studio. Donatello had been able to track Mara's cell to her studio. This was a relief to most everyone, it meant that Mara was probably just working late. But Dinah and Don had insisted that they go check on her, so here they were, running along the dark city streets. The entire company of turtles and human was unusually quiet. He wanted to say something funny but he could tell that Die was too worried about Mara to joke around. Instead he occupied himself by preforming various flips and leaps off of the numerous obstacles. He looked to the others expecting their usual banter back and forth. But there was non of it, everyone, including Dinah, had serious determined looks etched on their faces.

"Mikey focus," Leo snapped in his 'leader' voice after Mikey accidentally kicked a can down an alley. Michelangelo rolled his eyes and kept up with the others. He was confident that Mara was fine. The studio was in a good part of town and it had been almost three weeks since they had, had any unsavory run ins with Bishop or the Foot. He was concerned that Mara had not called or checked in but he chocked that up to being incredibly busy. The search party rounded the final corner before coming to the studio. Mikey felt his stomach tighten slightly as they realized the door of the studio had been smashed in. Leo motioned to the turtles before whispering to Dinah.

"Die, you stay here, call the police.We'll be right back"

"I don't think so mister leader! First we find Mara, then I'll call the cops," Die's shouts caused the four ninjas to flinch. Despite Leo's attempts to keep her out of the building she stubbornly pushed past him and into the dark studio. Leo gave Mikey a look that said _She's your human do something!_ Mikey shot him a cheesy grin and shrugged. There was no keeping Die from doing something she wanted to do. Once inside it was clear that someone had broken in. Every piece of furniture was up turned, papers were thrown everywhere, Mara's computer lay smashed in a heap. Mikey felt his previous confidence drain away as he stepped over a few shredded art pieces.

His eyes fell on the only piece of furniture still standing. In leu of the countless sketches and papers that covered the surface of Mara's desk, there was a simple small black box, on top of the box lay Mara's shell cell. The screen of the cell flashed with a message notification. They all hesitated, there was no doubt now that something was indeed very wrong. Mikey lifted the phone carefully, pausing before flipping it open. Lines upon lines of strange code and characters ran across the screen. Finally message flashed across the screen.

_2 minutes_

_-Bishop_

"Uh...guys...any idea what this means?" Mikey handed the cell phone to Donnie.

"Its some kind of computer code, I've never seen anything like it. It could be triceraton or some other type of alien... I'm not quite sure. What does the two minutes mean? I guess, well its obviously code for some...hey, why is the box beeping?"

Mikey's eyes grew wide with understanding. An instantaneous glance at the others told him they did to. Reaching out he snatched up Dinah who shrieked in surprise, shielding her from the glass he leapt through the large studio windows. They had all barely cleared the building before the air was filled with a concussive blast. Every window was shattered and a wall of flames towered in their place. Shaking with fear and rage Dinah stood, staring at diminishing remnant’s of her friend's studio. She let out an exasperated scream. Everyone's minds were heavy with the realization that Bishop had Mara. The man that had nearly tortured her to death once again had her in his grasp.

"He took her! He took her and then blew up her studio! When I get my hands on him I'm gonna kill him this time!" Mikey reached a comforting hand to Dinah. Four turtles and a human disappeared into the darkness as the sound of approaching sirens screeched into the night.

* * *

 Raph clenched his fists and slammed them into the wall of the lair. It had been almost a week since Mara's disappearance and he was frustrated. Every night brought a new search and every night they were no closer to finding Maralyn than the night before. Anger boiled deep in his stomach as he thought about how helpless they were. The girls were often a target, it was an unfortunate truth of being associated with the mutated terrapins, but this was different. Bishop was mocking them. He had left no clue as to where to find Mara, he wanted them to squirm.

"We can't just sit here any more, blindly searching the entire city lookin' for a ghost! Hows that code comin?"

"We are doing the best we can Raph, this is some high tech stuff!" April peered around the computer screen. She had taken the week off to help Don figure out the code that had been installed on Mara's cell. It was the only lead they had. Raph rolled his eyes, it wasn't that he was mad at his brothers or April he just felt useless, something he did not deal with well.

"I got it! I got it! It's a dialect code of Triceraton. It was a start up sequence for the bomb that became active once the shell cell was opened!" Suddenly shouting Donnie stood excitedly. Dinah, who was just as frustrated as Raph crossed her arms and glowered at the purple wearing turtle.

"Thats real great Don, we already knew that there was a bomb, and that it was activated!"

"No, you don't understand, when Bishop programmed this code he had to send it from a set location. I can gain this location through the dissection of the code!"

"English Brainiac!"

"I know where Mara might be!" Before anyone could stop them both Raph and Die were headed out the door fists clenched ready to break some heads.

Five shadows crept silently up the docks. The command that had blown Mara's studio apart had been sent from a shanghaied genetics lab hidden near the Hudson. The building loomed clinically sinister in the night. It wasn't like most of Bishop's locales at all. The building looked old and used, security seemed unusually relaxed only a few guards patrolled the perimeter, nothing the turtles couldn't handle. Peering from their hiding spot Don spouted off his usual facts.

"This is the old Maison de Lune mental society, it was shut down in the 1930s for some shifty stuff."

"Great! He blew up her fucking studio, and he took her to a mental hospital!! I am going to rip that man limb from limb!" Dinah seethed the embodiment of rage. They all knew that Mara had a strong aversion to anything hospital like.

"First we gotta find Mara, then we can give that bastard a little taste of his medicine!" Raph cracked his knuckles menacingly. He was keeping his rage under control but he knew Dinah wasn't going to be able keep it cool if they ran into Bishop. He leapt from their hiding spot following Leo. _For Bishop's sake she better be alive._

* * *

They walked the halls peering into various cell windows. Genetic experiment after experiment meet them with increasing ugliness. Leo cringed as he gazed upon the broken form of what at one time might have been a chimpanzee. There was no telling how many souls had spent their final moments locked away in the cold clinical rooms, or how many more had meet their end on one of Bishop's tables. He felt a sense of sickness come over him as he remembered that Mara was in the hands of this monster, there was no telling what he was doing with her.

So far the most difficult part of the mission had been keeping Raph and Dinah from killing every guard and scientist they had snuck past. _"Get in get out"_ He kept repeating to himself. That was the plan get in, get Mara, and get out. Hopefully Mara was here.

"OVER HERE!She's in here!!" Dinah shouted particularly loud. The excitement of finding her friend overtook her ability to be silent. Donnatello reached into his satchel and retrieved an electric charge. Moments later electricity sparked and the door swung open.

"Holy shit..." Raph spat, his curse emphasized everyone's thoughts. The sight inside the tiny prison was enough to make even the usual level minded Leo grind his teeth in anger. Mara lay curled in the corner protectively pulling her knees into her chest. She wore the same clothes that she had disappeared in, only now they were soiled and torn. Blood stains soaked into the fabric caused Leo to swallow hard. Red and angry wounds worked their way up her forearms, he could only assume they were needle marks. There was no telling what Bishop had injecting her with.

Dinah was the first to reach their friend's side. Crouching down she attempted to clear Mara's blood encrusted hair from her face. The moment she made contact Mara exploded in a flurry of screams and cries. She fought back anticlimactically, scratching and kicking. Her eyes stared out wildly as she scrambled trying to force herself farther and farther into the corner. Dinah leaped back from the terrified girl.

"Shhh it's me, Mara we are here to get you," Mara stared hard at her friends, trying to focus. Familiarity stretched across her face and she lowered her head sobbing into her knees.

"Ple..Please...just leave me alone! I know you aren't real... why won't you leave me alone! Just hallucinations...thats all you are! GO AWAY!" Everyone stood motionless, unsure what to do. Their hearts broke as they gazed upon their shattered friend. There were no words to describe the horrors she must have endured. Eternity passed before Mara raised her head.

"I'm real, Mara, it's Dinah, we are really here we are taking you home," Obviously surprised by her friend’s remaining presence Mara shakily extended her hand to touch Die's hair. Instantaneously she pulled back as if burned. Eyes wild with heart wrenching fear she hissed.

"Get out! GET OUT!!! Please don't be here! I don't want you to be here! PLEASE Leave!" Dinah grabbed Mara's shoulders and spoke as softly and slowly as her tight throat would allow.

"Everything will be fine! We will get you home!"

"Nooo!" Shrieking Mara shoved Dinah as hard as she could. The blonde would have surely cracked her head against the concrete floor if Leo hadn't been there to catch her. Mara threw here hands up clutching her head. Her breaths came in long painful sobs, "I'm going to hurt you! I'm going to hurt all of you... what they did...what bishop did...I can feel it..I am going to hurt...I want to hurt you!"

Leo's mind reeled. Thoughts crashed into him with horrific weight. This was all too easy. Bishop had told them that he had Mara, Donnie had easily broken the code, the lack of security, the ease in which they had found their friend. This was all a set up, he had lead them all into a trap, a trap that was currently screaming and writhing not ten feet from them. A trap that was his sister and friend, or at least was at the moment but time was slipping fast. He pushed a struggling Die behind him and drew his Katana.

"Get back! Every one get back!"

"Leo! are you crazy? What are you doing?" Die screamed flailing her fists against Leo's shell.

"She's been injected with Mutagen! Look at her! She looks an awful lot like Don before he transformed," Three turtles took quick steps back in horror, realizing that Leo was right. Everything that made her Mara was about to be forcibly stripped away and in it's place would be a blood thirsty animal, "Guy's we have to get her restrained... before she turns...On the count of three."

The turtles moved in to hold their friend, but it was too late the crouched heap in front of them began to painfully morph.

Bones snapped and stretched settling into their new-found sockets. Her skin bubbled and darkened sprouting appallingly course hair which covered her body. Her limbs twisted and contorted to forcing her to stand on all fours. Her voice changed, deepening her sobs until they were no longer cries uttered by a human voice, but rather howls. The transformation slowed and then stopped. The creature still crouched breathed and moaned in pain. Mara's eyes snapped open, no longer were they a cool blue, they glinted a hard orange light with small pinprick pupils devoid of the kind and gentle soul they once held. The creature bellowed before barreling into the five would be rescuers.

Animalistic fear and instinct ruled their friend she was on the attack. Turning she locked eyes on Dinah who had fallen over. Michelangelo stood between the monster and Die, numb-chucks at the ready. A forceful swipe however sent the turtle skittering into the wall. The four turtles did their best to keep her away from the human girl, but the mutated Mara was large, strong, and on a mission. In a bounding leap she was on top of her prey. Leo watched in horror as she stalked over to her. Posed above the young woman sharpened teeth bared. Dinah pleaded with her friend as she struggled to stand.

"Please Mara! Mara this isn't you!....You aren't a monster! PLEASE don't ...don't do this!"

Leo had to act fast it was becoming glaringly obvious that if they did not stop her soon, they would lose both their human friends. His mind scrambled for a plan, eyes darted wildly around the room looking for any way to stop their friend.

"Don! The charges!" Leo shouted pointing to his brother's bag. Donatello nodded reaching his hand in and scooping out the remaining door charges. He tossed them to Leo, who leaped at Mara planting the small explosives on her body, "Now! Don set them off NOW!"

Ear splitting howls bounced off the walls as volts of electricity coursed through Maralyn's body. Moments later the her beastly form lay limp and quiet on the ground. No one dared breath, they had won but at what cost?

"Come on we have to get her to leatherhead."

* * *

 Dinah jumped as she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Rubbing her sleep filled eyes she tried to focus.

"You look like shit dude," Mara's voice croaked out hoarsely as she cracked a broken smile. Dinah couldn't help as a smirk slide across her face.

"You should look at yourself. I'll get Don hold on," She rose reluctant to leave her friend but relieved to see the familiar blue eyes. Dinah hadn't left Mara since they had brought her back to the lair. It had taken Leatherhead, Don, and Die to create a cure for Mara's condition. The mutagen used on her was different than the mutagen used on Donnie. The substance was stronger more resilient than before. It had taken them the better part of three days to finally find the right formula. Even though Mara was cured she had been badly injured by her entire ordeal, it had been another two days of painful waiting and watching as she sat in a coma. Dinah never left her side. It was obvious to everyone now that Bishop was making progress with his mutant serum.

Dinah felt her stomach clench, he had specifically chosen Mara. They had seen that he had any number of test subjects but he had gone so far out of his way to get her friend. It was because of her, Dinah felt, that it had all happened. Bishop had seen that she was a threat, so long as they had someone to fight for like Mara they would always be a threat. This was why he had stolen Mara, why he had set up a trap for them, why he had timed it out so that the stress of her ordeal would force Mara to transform at the same time as her rescue. He had wanted to break them all. The knots in her stomach twisted into heavy anger. Clenching her fists she thought to herself.

_The next time I see that glasses wearing freak, I WILL kill him_.


	29. The Battleshell is not for Cross Country

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recommended/Required episodes- none
> 
> TMNT doesn't belong to us, Mara and Die do.

“And you have to scratch his right ear _THEN_ his left ear, and don’t let him eat before bed or he’ll have bad dreams,” Mikey’s voice rattled off instructions in quick succession as he clutched the orange and white cat to his chest. Klunk just blinked up at the two receiving the lecture from the turtle.

“Michelangelo, Klunk will be fine,” Splinter’s voice cut his son off before turning to his eldest who still seemed unsure, “As will I, Leonardo.”

“But…but,” Mikey started but a blonde human shoved her elbow into his side and pulled the cat from his hands.

“But nuttin’,” Die said gently handing the cat to April, “April and Casey can take care of a cat. Klunk will be fine.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us Master Splinter,” Mara asked. It had taken a while for both human girls to get coinciding time off but when they did they decided a trip back to Colorado was in order. They had rented a cabin in the middle of nowhere so that the turtles could accompany them without being discovered. Master Splinter had declined every invitation to accompany his children.

“No,” Master Splinter shook his head before offering a small smile, “Thank you Maralyn but I will remain here with April and Casey.”

“And Klunk,” Mikey pointed out before launching into another lecture on proper care for the feline.

* * *

 

“Pull over,” Mara barely herd the whisper but having been watching the four turtles and Die for a while now she was aware of the signs. She quickly flipped on the hazard lights and pulled over as Dinah opened the passenger door and jumped from the battleshell before it had even completely stopped. Mara leaned across the seat as her friend spilled her stomach contents on the side of the road, “I’m gonna tell your mom you jumped out of a moving vehicle.”

Die turned to glare at her friend before she jerked again and continued losing what wasn’t already out of her stomach before calling back, “Fine! Because I’ll already be dead.”

“I still can’t believe you are getting car sick,” Mara said as Dinah groaned climbing back into the battleshell, “The boys have never really been on long car rides before so I understand that. But you, I don’t.”

“It’s the children,” Die said leaning her head back against the head rest, “The children that worship he who walks behind the rows. They know you’re an easy target so they cast a spell on me.”

“We’ve discussed this,” Mara rolled her eyes as she pulled back onto the highway with fields of corn on either side as far as the eye could see. The sun painting the sky red and the fields gold as it set in front of them, “I would survive children of the corn because I’m not stupid.”

“Shut up already,” Raph’s voice drifted from the back where he had his head between his knees. Die casually disconnected Mara’s ipod from the radio and connected hers.

“I hate you,” Mara glared at the road as Die’s chosen song began to play.

_“Jeepers creepers, where'd ya get them peepers?_

_Jeepers creepers, where'd ya get those eyes?_

_Gosh, oh, get up, how'd they get so lit up?_

_Gosh, oh, gee, oh, how'd they get that size?”_

* * *

 

“How long have they been going at it now,” Raph looked to his older brother who glanced at his shellcell before returning his gaze to the oldest turtle and youngest human.

“Nearly an hour and a half,” Don replied as the two continued yelling at each other. No one, even the two participants, were sure what they were arguing about anymore.

“Hold that though,” Dinah suddenly said holding her hand over Leo’s mouth as he glared daggers at her. She leaned in between Mara, driving, and Mikey, who’d jumped up front when the two started arguing, to turn up the stereo, “I love this song!”

“Oh! I love this one too,” Mara exclaimed turning the music up even louder as she and Die began to scream the lyrics with Mikey.

* * *

 

“Um, what’s going on,” Don asked eyeing the human girls. Mara had pulled over and she and Die had climbed out of the car only to climb back in on the opposite sides.

“Yeah,” Raph piped up, “I thought Dinah girl wasn’t supposed to drive the battleshell after, you know…crashing it into a tree in New York City.”

“Bite me Bowser,” Die responded pulling onto the road and starting the climb up a mountain.

“We’ve been through this,” Raph smiled leaning on the driver’s seat over her shoulder, “You’d like it.”

“Back on subject,” Leo glared at his brother and the human, “Why is Die driving.”

“Because,” Die said matter of factually jerking her thumb towards Mara, “She can’t handle cliffs.”

The turtle glanced out the windows just now noticing the sheer cliff wall rising up on the other side of the road and the sheer drop on their side. Mara clutched her seat tightly and kept her eyes firmly ahead.

“At least there are guard rails and it’s not twisty,” Mara forced out through clenched teeth.

“For now,” Die smirked, “And do you really think those flimsy pieces of metal will stop an armored car that Don has modified from going over that edge?”

“You can shut up any time Dinah.”

* * *

 

“This is awesome,” Mikey exclaimed, his head sticking out the window as they made another hair pin turn. He watched the rocks roll off the road.

“Mikey get your head back in the car,” Leo ordered grabbing his brother’s shell and pulling him back into the car.

“That was a speed limit sign,” Mara said clutching the dashboard tightly, “You did see it right? It said 30 miles per hour. How fast are you going Dinah?”

“You don’t want to know,” Die responded after glancing down at her speedometer.

“Holy cow Girly,” Raph exclaimed after looking over her shoulder. He paused for a minute before letting a grin stretch across his face, “Think you can go faster?”

“No,” Mara exclaimed before Die could, “She’s going to slow down! Right now!”

“Spoil sport,” Dinah pouted. She didn’t slow down but she didn’t speed up either so Mara guessed she could count her blessings.

* * *

 

“Ah,” Dinah exclaimed stretching, “It’s good to finally get out of that thing!”

“You’re telling me,” Mikey said joining her in front of the rented cabin, “I was worried Mara and Don would mutate again!”


End file.
